SKETCHES 



PAUL TONES 



THOMAS CHASE, 



OF CHESTERFIELD, VA. 



RICHMOND 



CHAS. H 



i, PRINTER, 



1859. 



PREFACE. 



Most of the modern scribblers in biography seem to 
describe their subjects as differing in many respects from 
the great mass of mankind, and so materially different, 
that to imitate their virtues, or seek to compare with 
them in any important respect, would be downright pre- 
sumption in the rising generaticui ; and if, through envy, 
hate or malice, they are endeavoring " to damn one to ever- 
lasting fame," they represent him with so many bad quali- 
ties and so few or no good ones, that the reader is not 
warned of his own danger to become equally wicked, feel- 
ing that it would be impossible. 

General Washington and many others are instances of 
the former, and '' Tom Paine," and Napcleon Bonaparte 
in the hands of English bi^jgraphers, are in:«tauces of 
the latter. This course is altogether unscriptural. The 
Prophet Elijah was one of the best men that ever lived, 
and yet ''he was subject to like passions as we are;" and 
one can but admire the simplicity and truthfulness of 

e biography, where the bad deeds are 
faithfully as the good. This course I like, i 
sue in these Sketches. I received them not from a fanci- 
ful writer, nor from one whose prejudices or partialities 
would be likely to distort the facts; for my informant, 
though upon the whole friendly to his renowned com- 



mander, seemed well aware that he had many defects of 
character. 

My first attempt to write for the public was to get up 
A Narrative of Thomas Chase, icith Sketches of the 
celebrated Paul Jones. At leisure moments, for several 
months, I would call on my grandfather, and from his 
own mouth take the story of his own adventures in ** the 
times that tried men's souls," and also his knowledge of 
that famous naval commander, with whom he had some- 
what an intimate acquaintance. I had nearly completed 
my rough manuscript, when "The Life of Paul Jones" 
was advertised in the newspapers. I soon procured a 
copy and read it to my grandfather. He said it was very 
incorrect— hardly "founded in fact;" but as it gave to 
his old and favorite commander as good a character upon 
the whole as he could in truth, and as my contemplated 
pamphlet would probably prove a loss to me, coming after 
that, he advised me to abandon the idea; so my first 
work never went to press. This was more than thiity 
years ago. 

Since then I have seen many biographical sketches 
of Paul Jones, all about equally inconsistent with the 
sketches I had made, but often very contradictory the 
one to the other. " The Black Buccaneer" and "The 
Red Rover," from English authors, were in good keeping 
with almost every thing English ; for those who are their 
superiors in any important respect, they seek to destroy 
by slander. 

I have much confidence in the truth of the sketches 
I had thus taken from the lips of my revered ancestor, 
(whose name I bear,) and hav( 
to write out the substance of them, even at this lute day, 
for the following, with some minor reasons : First — his- 



tory ought to be right, without regard to the prejudices 
or partialities of any one.. Second — gentlemen, who de- 
servedly enjoy the confidence of the public, and who can 
have no unworthy motive in view, have solicited, and even 
urged me to do it. Third, and last — beini 
what advanced in life, if I do not very soon do it, these 
sketches, whether true or false, will soon become unknown 
with me ; for, after the lapse of seventy or eighty years, 
I have Tery little hope that anything will come up, or 
that anything else even exists, that will tend to remove 
the many doubts and explain the unexplained contradic- 
tions and difficulties in the manij lices of Paul Jones. 

Let me here say, my grandfather, Thomas Chase, was 
born at Martha's Vineyard, the south-easLcm extreme of 
Massachusetts, in 1753, but for more than fifty years he 
was a citizen of the town of Livermore, county of Oxford, 
and State of Maine, where he died in 1844. I there- 
fore enjoyed his acquaintance until I was about forty 
years old. 

But I perceive I shall be liable to censure for what 
will appear to be an egotistic repetition. My grandfather 
will appear conspicuous on almost every page. I can 
seem to find no other term less objectionable — even, as 
"Poor Richard" says, will not seem to help me. I must, 
therefore, ask the reader to excuse me, upon the ground 
of a lack of ingenuity and talent as a good writer, assur- 
ing him that I feel as much afflictid about it as he can. 

THOMAS CHASE. 



Chesterfield, JuJy, 1859. 









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niself with the h 
h Empire, near j 
sland of Great \ 
' supposed him- 
hat his father's 



name was Paul— his mother's maiden i 
that they both died when he w.is an intant, and tin 
mother, on her death-bed, gave him to the earl, upon tlie 
earl's promise " to bring him up and educate him." He 
" ' " ' I Paul, though the domestics about him 
not untrequently called him a "bastard," when, from any 
cause, they became displeased with him. His chief bu.-i- 

„, i.„ ^.^j, large enough, when not at school, 

«u.-^ tu ffcc lu ain-i take care of his master's plate, of which 
he had a large and valuable set. In this matter, the earl 
>^as very rigid and exacting with him, and often chastised 



SKETCHES OP 



him cruelly for neglect and inattention. These frequent 
beatings and corrections, administered in their apparent 
unfeeling manner, only made ''John" worse, and, of 
course, brought upon him greater chastisement. He soon 
got used to it, and could bear his cruel treatment with 
the heroism of a martyr, but always with the secret and 
terrible purpose of mind, that he could and should, at 
some time, have his revenge. He considered his master 
a fiend in human shape — an overbearing and cruel aristo- 
crat — but nothing different from the great mass of the 
nobility of the British Empire The sequel will show 
that his thirst for vengeance against the earl extended to 
the entire British nation. His master gave him some 
education, and, probably, he would have been highly edu- 
cated, had a state of good feeling existed between him and 
the earl. There can be very little doubt that "John's" 
natural disposition was very ardent — terrible, perhaps — 
but the manner in which he was treated the most of the 
time had no tendency to improve him. Such is human 
nature. 

There were seasons of relaxation with the earl, in his 
cruel course with "John." This circumstance, with a 
hint or two from some in the neighborhood, together with 
his master's evident wish that he should be educated — 
though no one ever did, or could, claim of his master the 
fulfillment of the promise to his dead mother — created in 
John's mind a strong suspicion that he was really the 
natural son of the earl himself This suspicion in the 
mind of the famous Paul Jones (for it always continued 
with him) had a wonderfully controlling influence upon his 
conduct, when, at last, he had an opportunity to wreak 
his fullest vengeance upon the " the old earl," as every 
one will readily see in the course of these Sketches. Where 
Paul Jones attended school, my revered informant did not 
remember, if Jones ever told him Many cireumstauces 
he well remembered. 

Jones was disliked by most of his school-fellows, and 
they in turn were disliked by him. He probably had the 
advantage of them; for I imagine he could dislike as 
terribly as any specimen of humanity in any age of the 
world. Captain Pearson, of the British frigate Serapis, 



PUAL JONES. 



(accent on the second syllable,) was a school-mate with 
him for a tirae, and was conspicuous, in Jones' estimation, 
as one of his worst enemies. Jones had a taste and ability 
to learn beyond the average of his class-mates ; but he 
had so much trouble with his mates and instructor, that, 
up to fourteen, he had but a meagre knowledge of even 
the English. His master, in his good seasons, gave him 
access to his library, in which were several liistories of 
wars and naval fights. The reading of these seemed in 
harmony with his natural disposition, and he felt a strong 
desire " to go to sea." When, as nearly as he could tell, 
he was about fourteen years old, he was determined to 
know his parentage, and pressed the earl so violently, and 
disputed him so rashly, when told the old story, the earl 
lost all patience, and gave him an uncommonly bad whip- 
ping. Johu would stand it no longer. He swore ven- 
geance against all nobility and the earl in particular, and 
taking such clothes as he pleased and a small sum of 
money, without the knowledge of his master, he left — 
'' ran away." He soon found a chance to ship on board 
a vessel bound for Corunna, in the north of Spain. It 
was at this time he changed his name, dropping John 
and adding Jones, thus making his name " Paul Jones;" 
a name that he, by his own acts of desperate bravery and 
consummate skill, has rendered as illustrious and lasting 
in history as any other name of his times. 

Arriving safe at Corunna, a youth though he was, he 
soon learned that there was an association of merchants 
and desperadoes who obtained their living and wealth by 
depredations on British commerce. This was in perfect 
harmony with his feelings; for, beside the wild and chiv- 
alrous adventures it might afford him, it would give bin 
an opportunity to wreak his vengeance on the British, 
whom he most cordially hated through life. He engaged 
in this business, and for his pay was to have a small por- 
tion of the money they might make by captures. Young 
as he was, he was bold and reckless, and, in a few years, 
became conspicuous for his desperate daring, and particu- 
larly for bis wonderful skill in handling a sword. 

Before he was twenty years old — as nearly as he knew 
his age — he was offered the command of a vessel, to cruise 




8KET0HS8 OF 



in the same business, with a much larirer share of the 
profits than he had before enjoyed. This offer, of course, 
he most readily accepted. Captain Jones took command 
of this vessel. She was a sharp, rakish, clipper-built 
craft — a fast sailer, with no name marked upon her. She 
was familiarly called *' The Black Buccaneer ;" from 
which circumstance the English applied the name to 
Paul Jones — a name as terrible to the English as that of 
Napoleon Bonaparte, in proportion to the force he could 
bring against them. 

Up to this time, and for some two or three cruises after, 
in his Black Buccaneer, Jones' head quarters were at 
Corunna, but soon changed to the Spanish West Indies. 
The crew of the Black Buccaneer were mostly Spanish 
and Portuguese desperadoes. But one of their names did 
my grandfather remember, if Captain Jones told him — 
this was "Joe Frederick," a Portuguese, of whom I shall 
have occasion to say something more. Cajjtain Jones had 
many thrilling adventures, many hair-breadth escape.*, with 
his Black Buccaneer, but of one of which I obtained the 
detals, and here it is : So much mischief did the Black 
Buccaneer inflict on British commerce, that the govern- 
ment instructed their cruisers on the American coast and 
in the West India seas toihunt him up and capture him. 
In pursuance of these orders, one of the British ships of 
war got upon his track, and a dense fog coming upon 
their locality, succeeded in getting cl^se up to Captain 
Jones. "A breeze sprung up, the fog lifted," and Jones 
saw, to his astoni.sliinent, "a British man of war," able 
to sink him with a single broadside; "but a musket-shot 
from him" — "What ship is that?" cried the Briton — 
no answer. "What ship is that? Come aboard and 
bring your papers, or I'll sink you in a mou cut," said 
the Briton, very harshly. "Aha! aha!" cried Jones; 
"I will, soon as I can." Getting his vessel in motion 
under the light breeze, he was soon hard up alongside, 
and jumping on board with the force of a lion, having 
prepared himself for the emergency, dashed bolow so 
suddenly that not a move was n)a<ie to arrest hin in his 
mad career. Proceeding directly to the magazine, and 
holding a lighted match in his left hand and his trusty 



PAUL JONES. 



sword in his right, said, in terrible haste and earnestness, 
two or three being near by, '< Tell your captain to come 
herein an instant, or I'll blow you all to hell." The 
British captain appeared in hot haste, exclaiming, "What 
does this mean?" "Not a word," said Jones, making 
such menaces with his sword as would startle a man of 
weak nerves. '< Give me your word of honor as an Eng- 
lish gentleman, that you will let me and my vessel and 
crew leave you unharmed, or you are in hell in an in- 
stant." The Bii'i:?h captain again attempted to speak, 
but was stopped instantly by Jones, in a terrible tone of 
voice, " n()t a word— agree to my proposal instantly, or 
wc are all in hell together " In the utmost cotisternation 
and terror, the Engiij^hman exclaimed, "If I must, I 
will." ^ Said Jones, " Do you give me your word of honor 
as an English gentleman, that I may, with my vessel and 
crew, leave you and get clear away without harm ?" " I 
do," said the Briton. Said Jones, " Put up your sword, 
(the Englishman did it,) and go with me on deck," drop- 
ping his match, and seizing the Briton by the collar with 
his left hand, keeping his own good blade in his right, 
"and this good blade shall be the witness between us." 
"It shall," was the reply. They walked on deck to- 
gether. Jones stepped upon his own deck and was off. 
He never hyppened to meet that captain again ; and it is 
very likely that captain had no particular desire to see 
Jones again. Thus did "The Black Buccaneer" rid 
himself of an enemy full ton times as great in force as he 
was. It was no miracle— it was downright dcspnation. 
And there are very few of the human race, from its first 
Dlanting on the earth, who would or could have done it. 
But Paul Jones could do that. 

I will here give the substance of Jones' account of his 
method of carrying on this business. I am aware it may be 
said that it is Jones' story, and he was interested. True; 
but J(,n,.s wfis well aware that the English called him "a 
pirate." and had succeeded in making many others believe 
it ; therefore, I regard his story as a confession, which we 
usually accept as truth. The object of his employers and 
himself was property— wealth. They killed none, unless 
m a fight to get the vessel, so as to help themselves of 



SKETCHES OF 

her cargo. They took no prisoners, for they would be a 
trouble, though sometimes a hand or two would go with 
Jones from vessels he took. This was entirely voluntary; 
for Jones usually said to those he took, if any of them 
wished to go with him, they might- He sometimes scut- 
tled and sunk vessels, when near some port where he ap- 
prehended danger, setting the crew ashore. But off at 
sea he injured nothing, taking only what he deemed of 
value to himself and employers. These depredations 
were strictly confined to British commerce. And said 
Jones, '' Soon as I thought there was a chance to hurt 
the British more with a man of war, I wanted one, and 
got it as quick as I could " 

About September, 1773, two years before the war broke 
out, Captain Jones, with his "Black Buccaneer," was 
cruising up the coast of these colonies, and, in the vicinity 
of Long Island, New York, had an encounter with a 
British craft that came very near taking him Some two 
or three of his crew were wounded — one of his officers. 
The officer's wound proved fatal He died in the vicinity 
of Martha's Vineyard, while still pursuing his north- 
east course toward Cape Cod. This island was the birth- 
place of my grandfather and grandmother, also of my 
revered father. Jones wished to bury his dead officer 
respectfully, and put into "Holmes' Hole," the only 
harbor of any note in that island. It was there and at 
that time my grandfather first saw that famous man, 
Paul Jones. Being informed that Thomas Chase was a 
mechanic, Jones employed him to make a coffin for his 
dead officer and assist at his burial. At Captain Jones' 
request, the good people of that part of the island turned 
out, and gave the deceased a Christian burial. My grand- 
father was at that time about twenty years old. Jones 
remained "on the Vineyard" several days— " went gun- 
ning" two or three times, taking my grandfather with 
him, who proved a better "shot" than Captain Jones. 
This circumstance it was that induced the famous Paul 
Jones to make him one of his gunners afterwards. Cap- 
tain Jones and his crew bought such things as they 
wished for of the people, and paid for them, being per- 
fectly pleasant and well-behaved j but thore were strong 



PAUL JONES. 



suspicions as to the character of the "craft." When 
Captain Jones was about to leave Martha's Vineyard, he 
wished for a pilot to show him all about the navigatioa 
of that vicinity and of '' Nantucket Shoals," and apply- 
ing to "Thomas" for a suitable man, was recommended 
to a Captain Daggett, who was "just his man," if he 
wouldn't give him liquor. " But, Captain Jones," said 
my grandfather, " if you give him liquor, you can do 
nothing with him until he gets over it — he will abuse 
you and every one he sees." Captain Daggett was pro- 
cured, and my grandfather went with them to return with 
Daggett. Daggett was a gentlemanly, pleasant "old tar," 
when not in drink; and his familiarity and agreeable 
conversation completely threw Jones off his guard, and 
'lis pocket a bottle of ' ' ' '" ' '" 
jett to drink with him, v 
did, and drank so largely at a single draught that he, 
became unmanageable very soon— was very boisterous. 
They soon reached the vessel, and, though Daggett was 
very nois}', Jones requested him to proceed to his busi- 
ness. This only brought a volley of oaths from the 
drunken eld sailor. Jones was not used to such treat- 
ment from any one, and threatened him, which called 
forth the fallowing from Daggett: "Captain Jones, who 
the devil are you?" "I am the captain of this ship," 
said Jones, with a look that would make one nervous 
" I s'pose you are," said Daggett; "and you look to mo 
like some kind of a damned Scotch-Irishman that had to 
run his country for murder." Jones drew his sword 
instantly — my grandfather as instantly caught his arm, 
sayiig, "Don't hurt him, he's drunk — I cautioned you 
before, Captain Jones." " Right, Thomas, the fault is 
mine," said Jone«, and forthwith returned his sword. 

Years afterward, when my grandfather was acting as a 
gunner and cabin-joiner for Jones, he often spoke of 
things that happened while he was at " the Vineyard " 
at that time, and of that particular matter said, "Captain 
Daggett would have paid for his insolence with his head, 
if it had not been for you. Chase." Captain Daggett was 
sober in a few hours — asked Captain Jones' pardon, 
which was granted, though not with so much cordiality 



•« SKETCHES OF 



and frankness as most men would like—and proceeded to 
conduct Ctiptain Jones about the A'ineyard and Nan- 
tucket Shoals for two days, when Daggett and my grand- 
father left, receiving a generous compensation for their 
services, Jones standing noi-th-easterly, as though ho 
would "double Cape Cod." As my grandfather after- 
wird learned, he soon returned south to the West Indies. 

Upon what authority Headly says Jones had a brother, 
who was a Virginia planter, I cannot conceive; and that 
that brother died intestate, leaving no children, and that 
Paul Jones took tare of the estate for the family " two 
years on the land," is to me equally mysterious; when, 
to take Headly's dates and Jones' age as he gives it, this 
very cruise, in which he called at Martha's Vineyard 
and buried his under-officer, was within the two years he 
spent '*on the land" as a Virginia planter Beside the 
testimony of my grandfather and grandmother, on which 
I feel safe to rely, I have the testimony of " Joe Frede- 
rick," who was with Jones ever after he toek command 
of his first vessel at Corunna up to this time But these 
statements of Mr. Headly are no more doubtful in my 
mind than are many others from him of Jones— some of 
which I may feel driven to refer to ere I close. But Mr. 
Headly must have received his information from some 
source he deemed authentic. I regret that he and I 
must widely differ. 

It may be interesting to the reader to have some little 
description of Paul Jones, his vessel and crow at this 
time, 1773. Paul 'Jones stood five feet six inches and a 
half high, thick and very stout built, not corpulent, with 
broad chest and shoulders, and arms longer than short 
men usually have. His weight was about one hundred 
and seventy-five pounds. He was very muscular, and it 
seemed like he could use his entire strength in his sword- 
arm at any instant he pleased He carried a long, heavy 
sword, and considered himself invincible in single com- 
bat I incline to the opinion that the chivalrous Murat, 
or the impetuous Lannes, would have found full their 
match in an encounter with Paul Jones in his prime. 
He met very many in the cour-^e of his life, and measured 
Bwords with them, but was never second best. His com- 



PAUL JONES. 



ilexion was naturally light, with sandy hair and bluish- 
gray eyes. He had, at this time, seen much service, 
having been afloat some seventeen yeai-s. In short, he 
was a weather-beaten looking s^ii^r, even at the age of 
about thirty. The color of his skin, hair and eyes gave 
him rather a dirty appearance, and this added to his form, 
which was the very reverse of gentlemanly and delicate, 
together with a great tirmnet*8 of some of the muscles of 
the face, and a mysteri(«us, suspicious twinkle of the eyes 
at times, gave him an appearance the reverse of prepos- 
sessing. My grandfather aud gramlmother were not mar- 
ried until some eight year-^ afrer this, but she attended 



the funeral of Jones' oihce 
him several other times whi 
and has often told me, with 
Jones was the wirst-looking 
looked like a robber and i 



, before alluded to, and s<iw 
' he tarried on the Vineyard, 
great earnest ncss, that Paul 
man she ever saw — that he 
lurderer, and she wondered 



how my grandfather could ever have any friendly feeling 
towards him. Tliese unfavorable impressions against 
Captain Jones were, no doubt, principally owing to sus- 
picions of him But my grandfather became better ac- 
quainted with him afterwards. 

The vessel or ship Jones then had was not new, nor 
yet apparently very old — a fast sailer, painted black, with 
no name marked upon her. She had three long nine 
pounders, that could be changed to any part of her deck, 
and one " ion^r tom " on a pivot, to be used in any direc- 
tion, with apparently a full .supply of small arms of every 
variety. "Joe Frederick " told me this was the second 
ship Jones had commanded, and was larger than the first. 

The crew, con.<=iisfing of about forty, as nearly as wss 
known, were mostly Spaniards — a few l*ortuguese — among 
them, "Joe Frederick," who, at this time, left Captain 
Jones, by his full consent ; for Jones seemed to use no 
restraint over his men to detain them against their will. 
Jones shipped two or three good men at the Vineyard, 
payiniT them good wages, '"joe Frederick" remained 
on' the Vineyard until the breaking out of the Revolu- 
tionary war —during that he was off. After the war, he 
came 'back to the 'Vineyard, and was married there, as 
my grandftither was. "Old Mrs. Frederick" I last saw 



SKETCHES OF 



in 1844. I have not heard of her death. I shall have 
something more to say of "Joe Frederick," though he 
was nor much of a muu. 

At the breaking out^f the Revolutionary war, Paul 
Jones left his business of harassing the Britii?h comnicrce 
and repaired to France — it being understood by Spain, 
hoped by these Colonies, and feared by England, that 
France would be forward to help us. But, as is well- 
known, there was treat reluctance on the part of France 
to engage, nor was the alliance effected for some two years 
after. Failing in France to accomplish his object, he 
came to America and offered his services to our Conti- 



11 is darling object evidently was to crush England ; for 
he had not up to this time been a politician, nor is there 
any indication that he had any consistent views of human 
liberty and statesmanship. 

AltLou^ih Paul Jon« s was well known as a daring ad- 
veutuier, and had baffled the skill and energy of all the 
British naval commfinders on the Atlantic, in all their en- 
deavors to capture him, he still found oyiposition in this 
country in obtaining a |)08ition in our infant navy ; for 
there were those in p<jwer and intlu- nee who did not ap- 
prove of his former business, and still another set of nun 
among us who looked more to family and rank than to 
real capablity; and yet another class, more dangerous, 
perhaps, than either of the former, who seemed to know 
no other way to have a good government than to unite 
church and state, and must have a religious test on every 
occasion. Paul Jones was not a very Ciotlly given man ; 
and that spirit of religious intolerance, that operated 
against him at first, showed it^elf still more plainly {Jfter- 
ward, during Mr. Jefferson's administration, as will b 
readily seen from the following C|Uotation from some un- 
known rhymer, and published with great gusto in most 
of the "Federal" newspapers of those days: 



Smitli, Clieotliam, Jows, Duai 

Dull va-^sals- these wiU never (1( 

Quoth he— I'll st?nd for Paine. 



PAUL JONES. 



After some delay, however, he succeeded in obtainiDg 
a subordinate command, and by his consummate skill, his 
a.stoni.^Iiin£^ intrepidity and bravery, saved our little fleet, 
to which he was attached. • 

xMost of Paul Jones' American biographers tell us the 
t^tory that it was at this time, and in assuming his 6rst com- 
mand in our little navy, that he hoisted our national flag 

" the fii-st time its folds were ever given to the breeze." 
And this seems to be generally believed in this, our vast 
country. But let my readers pause a moment, and con- 
sider whether this story commends itself to common sense 
and right reason. Was this the tirst time that we had a 
naval vessel afloat? Certainly it was not. Beside some 
naval vessels fitted out by the different Colonies, Ezekiel 
Hopkins, our tirst commodore, had made a cruise and re- 
turned, and was censured by Congress and his command 
taken from him. Did our naval ships cruise without a 
flag? Certainly not. Neither could this story grow out 
of the fact, that Paul Jones first hoisted "the Stars and 
Stripes," for that flag was not adopted for two years or 
more after this. 

Here, then, are the facts which I derived, many years 
ago, from those who were actors in that great struggle. 

Most of the different Coloiiies had had a flag, peculiar 
to themselves, in use long before the Revolutionay war. 
Most or all of the New England Colonies had one and the 
same flag, though I incline to think Rhode Island had a 
flag to herself. New York had her flag, Pennsylvania 
hers, &.C. Had a few of the actors of those d lys felt as 
much reverence for the past as I ever have, Mr. Headly 
and others would not have oceasi«)n to say: *' What that 
flag was, strange as it may seem, no record or tradition 
can certainly toll." I cannot, of course, from my own 
knowledge, '' certainly tell," but I will tell it as it was 
told to me, on such authority as I deem conclusive, from ' 
men of integrity, who had abundant opportunities to know 
all about it. 

I have already said that most or all the New England 
Colonies had one and the same flag, and I am confident 
my readers will be able to credit the statement and the 
description I give without over-tasking their credulity. 



0KSTCB 

The bact-ground of " the New England fl 
wilderness, with an elk-" moose" -looking out, and 
upon the edge of the wilderness and open land an Indian 
equipped for war. Th* middle-ground was open land, 
with emblems of agriculture. The fore-ground was the 
ocean, with a ship Sylvester Norton, a native ot Mar- 
tha's Vineyard, who was a soldier in " the French war, 
and who saw Gen--ral Wolfe expire, told me this was the 
flag used by the New England troops and vessels in that 
war This was thtJ same flag used on that privateer in 
which my grandfather was afterwards taken, of which I 
shall have occasion to say more. _ 

But one other of these " old flags" can I describe with 
any degree of certainty, and this was the flag u^^ed by our 
first naval vessels under "the Continental Congress," and 
»oa iM-^KaKli? thp nnn Paul Jones first hoisted: but he 



was probably the one Paul Jones first hoisted j but he 
was by no means the first oflicer who hoisted it. 

This flag had a wilderness for a back-ground; the 
middle-ground was open land, with a house and culti- 
vated fields The fore-ground was a lake, with a swan 
sitting upon its bosom. This was probably the Colonial 
flag of Pennsylvania. Our officers and men never felt 
very proud under it. The Englit^i, by way of derision, 
called it "the Goose Flag;" so did their faithful, but 
unnatural allies, the tories; and it even obtained that 
disgusting name with our own people to some degree; 
therefore, it was abandoned for " the !?tars and stripes," 
of which we never have, as yet, been ashamed. But 
there was no "eagle;" and it was not until Russia, "the 
Northern Bear," recognized us as one of the independent 
nations of the earth, and entered into connnercial rela- 
tions with us, that "the American Eagle" was added to 
the stars and stripes. Up to this time, the Russian flag 
had four eagles, they gave us one, and n^nv have but three. 

From present prospects, we shall soon be as great as 
Russia. Whether we shall then get another of her eagles 
remains to be known. 

Paul Jones very much distinguished himself in his 
first cruise as a subordinate. Soon after, be got a sepa- 
rate command of a small naval vessel, and made a cruise 
of a few weeks. This was a very hazardous cruise for 



PAUL JONES. 



Jones. Two or three times he yerj narrowly escaped 
capture ; but bis wonderful genius, with good fortune, 
carried him safelj through, and he returned into one of 
our ports (I think in llhode Island) with a long string of 
prizes. 

Jones then obtained command of a larger vessel — I 
think she was called ^- The Alfred"— with which he 
worked wondtrs. But after one cruise, he was very un- 
justly sent back into his little sloop. He loudly com- 
plained of this injustice; and so iujportunate was he, 
that Congress toU him to go to Boston, and select and 
fit out a ship to his mind, this liberty was large enough, 
but his choice was very nearly like "Hopkins's" — there 
was nothing of any great account there. 

zVfter much th l;iy, he got a ship that he deemed much 
better than nothing— I think this was the Banger. He 
went to France in her, taking several prizes oif his way, 
which he succeeded in carrying safely into L'Orient, 
(pronounced Lo-ri-on.) Perhaps, he made a cruise or 
two more from Fiance in the Banger; but I am not cer- 
tain, as I was Lever acfjuainted with any one who cruised 
with him in the Banger. 

Many of Jon( s' biographers, as it seems to me, con- 
found his cruises in the Banger with his famous cruise in 
the Bon Homme Bichard, and his after cruises in the 
Alliance. But I will confine myself to what I feel con- 
fident is the truth, and not a sume to settle the disagree- 
ments of others in matters where I have much doubt. 
kSutfico it to say, whatever craft he commanded, or in 
whatever condition he was placed, or however imminent 
the danger to which he was exposed, his genius and in- 
trepid daring, with good fortune, enabled him to come oflf 
with " flying colors " He was never taken, because he 
was determined he never would be taken alive. Paul 
Junes very well knew that the British would not treat 
him as a prisoner of war, nor yet as a "rebel;" but if 
they could get him, they would at once hang him as "a 
pirate." Therefore, his stern and terrible purpose was, 
that in the event he could not extricate himself, he 
would, with his own strong arm and trusty sword, sell his 
life at as high a price as possible. 





t 

.A 


mUKKm 


■*»--' 



sKETcene 0T 



He continually asked for a larger naval command, for 
hich, as all now acknowleHrre, \u- wa.^ eminently fitted, 
but of which he wan continually disappointed. Having 
failed in his applications to Congress tor this, he again 
JDffered, himself to France ; but in this was delayed, 
and finally disappoiufcd. Had it not been for Doctor 
Franklin, who was then in France acting for us, it is 
likely Paul Jone?* w-^uM not have been longer employed 
in our service. There were so many who wanted office, 
and so many of our h-ading men an«l members of the 
Continental Congress who would favor the claims of per- 
,Bonal friends, without regard to fitness for the office to 
'which they aspired that even the splendid and over- 
shadowing genius of Paul Jones was neglected. And 
one of the strangest of all strange ihiuL^s to my mind is, 
that we ever succeeded in gaining our independence. 
With ail imbecile Congress, and no Executive, it seems 
Ao me next to a mirade. 

I- Look, for instance, to the fl)lly of giving General Gates 
'the glory of taking Burgoyne, when, in fact, he did not 
Vgo out of his tent on the day of the battle of Stillwater— 
^the battle that decided Burgoyne's fate — when, in fact, 
the impetuous Benedi t Arnold, without orders, and the 
intrepid Morgan did al the fighting and laid all the 
plans that were used, and should have had all the glory 
and preferment Congress learned, at last, they were 
patronizing an old f«»ol. but not in time to save the 
Southern army. N-t were we hardly less unfortunate 
in Lincoln and Suliivan — the favorites of " Old John 
Adams" and his friends But Nathaniel Greene — the 
Quaker Blacksmith — who had no family nor rank to re- 
commend him, cleared the whi>le South of the British in 
a single campaign. 

Doctor Franklin favored Paul Jone?", and for us bought 
some ships of France, and with three or fbur of our ships 
then in France, made out a squadron of some " eight 
sail.'' It was FranlJin'd wish that Jones should have 
full command of this squadron, but a commodore's com- 
mand could not be obtained for him, so his command was 



mereiv nominal 



Captain Jones' flag-ship was the " Bon Homme Rich- 



PAUL JONES. 



ard," an old Frerch sixty-four, with twenty of her guns 
taken off, because she was so old and rotten that it was 
not deemtd safe for her to carry more— she was called a 
"razee" from this circunistcince 

Mr Headiy, and, I believe, some others, have told us 
that Jones so named this ves.<el, "out of respect to 
Franklin" — referring, unmistakably, to "Poor Richard's 
Almanack." Headiy also seeujs to translate the French 
'< Bon Homme" "poor," but by what possible rule of 
translation I am at a loss to know I call "Bon Homme" 
"good man," and to this etymoldiry of the name agrees 
the story of my giandfuiher. It was in this wise: 

3Iany years before, there had lived in L'Orient a man 
known to all as "The Go- d Man Kichard" — this is the 
English — who was so called ber.iu,<e he was noted for his 
gv.odness to the poor, and for his many virtues in all the 
relations of life. He was rich, and, having the disposi- 
tion, was proverbial fur his gO( dness in all the region 
round about. While this vessel was building, " The 
Good Man Richard " died, and the French Government, 
to perpetuate his name and limur his memory, affixed his 
name to this ship — '' Hen Homme Richaid " This ship 
was very old — had this name marked upon her, appa- 
rently as old as anything about her. She was undoubt- 
edly built, named aud launched long before the American 
Revolution was thought of 

A long train of circumstances led to my grandfather's 
shipping on board the Bon Homme R chard, under the 
command of the renowned Paul Jones, which, 1 hope, 
may be interesting to my readers, as the story may tend 
to give some idea ff ihuse " time- that tried men's souls " 
He, with others of his acquaintance, and "Joe Frede- 
rick" among them, shipped on board one of the first pri- 
vateers thar were fitted lUt in Massachusetts in 177r>. 
They were paintiug this privateer, at Salem, the very day 
of the famous fight at Kunlver Hill, and saw John Stark 
and Henry Dearbcru, with their regiments from New 
Hampshire, as they left Salem, seen in the morning of 
that day, to take a part in that first mortal struggle for 
freedom. 

It was calculated they would make a cruise of six 



SKETCHES or 



weeks, though, as it proved, some of them never re- 
turned, and most of those that did, were absent near six 
years. After being out three days, when " befogged," 
they unfortunately got in close proximity to a British 
seventy-four — "The Old Northumberland" Resistance 
seemed madness, and they surrendered, and were taken 
on board the frigate. This " man-of-war," after cruising 
about for some two or three weeks, and making other 
prizes and prisoners, in all amounting to about four hun- 
dred, sailed for England, and arrived at Plymouth after 
a prosperous voyage 

AH the prisoners were soon put on board a prison-ship 
lying in Plymouth harbor. It was then the purpose of 
the British Government to try them as rebels, guilty of 
treason, and hang or shoot them, as they might deem 
best. Of course, their condition was auythiug but de- 
sirable; for, in addition to a violent d< ath that stared 
them in the face, they were treated with the utmost 
cruelty, less than half-fed on the very nieanest of food, 
and insulted and aggravated in many w ijs. Gentlemen 
and ladies, with their children, would come on board, and 
the childneii be directed to call tlieni " Damned Yankees," 
and to kick them I will not go farther. O, the poverty 
of language ! The British nation is the most pertidious, 
unfeeling and cruel of any nation on earth, and I hope 
to live long enough to see her fully paid, principal and 
interest, for all her terribh sins against humanity. 

We often see it written and hear it said, that the 
French and English are mtural enemies. While in Eng- 
land, and also in France and Holland, my grandf;'^' 
had many opportunities of witnessing what 1 considi 
explanation of this state of feeling with the people of 
these diff't-rent nations. The English childrei 
to hate the French and the '• Yankees," and to call them 
hard names — ^_ju^t so in France and Holland. Often, in 
the streets of L'Orient, did my ancestor see a long string 
of French boys running after one they called an English 
boy, and, putting their hands to each side of their own 
neck, make an effort thus to lift themselves up, exelaim- 
ing, "Unglu b^in comes so — Unglu boii comes so;" mean- 
ing it was good for an Englishman to be hung, or that an 



PAUL JONES. 



Englishman ought to be hung. These early impressions 
vould he quite likely to contirue through life. Thus 
we see that this "natural hostility" is entirely owing to 
early education. Better for the world that it were other- 
wise, no doubt. 

Under these trying circumstances, my grandfather, 
"Joe Frederick," and two others, planned an escape, by 
taking to the water and swimming ashore, about one 
uiile, and then get bick into the country, and then run 
their chance to get back to America. They took to the 
water by star-light, keeping together, their escape not 
being noticed at tirst. The water was cold, and they had 
been starving for some four weeks, and were quite unfit- 
ted for swimming a mile at that time of night, and in 
cold water. One of the four sunk to rise no more. M; 
grandfather found his stPMigth failing, when close to an- 
other vessel at anchor, and put up to it, getting hold of 
something to support him. "Joe Frederick,' who was 
a stout, powerful man, and the fourth still more enduring, 
reached the shore, but not until after an aiarm was given, 
and Plymouth harbor was covered with boats, cruising in 
every direction. The fourth took his legs and was off. 
None of his fellows knew his fate or his fortune. He was 
never heard fr.»m afterwards. Joe Frederick attempted 
to do the same, but could not stand. He tried to roll 
himself into a secret place, but could find none, and they 
recaptured him. After my grandfather had held on as 
long as he well could, he called for "a rope," and was 
tak':n on board, and, with Joe Frederick, taken back to 
the prison-ship. 

These two were '< pu^ in iron>:." But what does that 
mean ? I will *ell the reader, and nearly in my grand- 
father's own words, and I imagine this will be as near as 
any of us will ever wish to realize it. The irons in which 
my beloved grandfather and Joe Frederick lay for several 
weeks, were hand-cuffs upon the wrists, and the same, of 
larger size, upon the ankles. Between each two, or con- 
necting each twoj was a stout iron ring, about four inches 
across, so that one could put their hands hard together, 
but could sopar.ite them only some eight or ton inches. 
The same of the feet. There was a room about thirty 



SKETCHES OF 



feet square, with rows of strong ironi? driven into the floor 
and timbers, and rising abnut e\^\.t iu«hcs above the floor 
and about six teet a>uuder, with one i»r two round holes 
near the top, large enongh to receive a round rod or bar 
of iron an inch in thickness. Tiiese rods or bars being 
of proper length, about six feet, had a head on one end, 
like a strong iron bolt, and, near the other end, a hole to 
receive the biil of a pad-lock. Thus, the irons being on 
the wrists and ankles, the strong rud was thrust through 
one of the standing irons in the floor, then^-e through the 
large rings between the wrists and ankles — the prisoner 
lying on his side upon the floor — and thence through 
another standing iron in the floor, and the pad-lock ap- 
plied, fastening the strong rod tirnily. It is stringing 
men on an iron pole by the wrist»s and ankles One thus 
*'in irons" could sit upon the floor, or on a small block, 
furnished to each, but the hands and feet were close to- 
gether. They could nut stund, noi her was there a very 
smart chance for stretching They could lie upon one 
side until they were tired, and then " whoop over," and 
lie upon the other side. 

^Vhile these two wore lying in irons, and the great 
balance of the prisoners faring as usual, Lord North was 
induced to change his pi in of killing them for the pre- 
sent, fearing his example might be followed by others 
upon the English ; so, after the lapse of six weeks, the 
irons were taken off these two, and all the prisoners from 
this prison-ship, and several other places, were put into 
a prison on shore. Thi> was called "Mill Piison," and 
was as notorious in the old war, as was Dartmoor Prison 
in the war of 1812. 

The prisoners were all American, x)r passed for such, 
and were seven hundred and thirty-nine when committed. 
'I hey were not imprisoned a* prisoners of war, but each 
crew under an indictment. The crew t(» which my grand- 
father belonged were committed as ^^ rfbr/s and pirates, 
taken upon the hiyh stas Ji'j/itt'mj ajninst his Majesty's 
Government and suhjecta.'' This was for the crew of a 
privateer. Whether all were alike, my ancestor did not 
certainly know, but supposed they were. 

My ancestor became very intimate with one Southern 



Dartmoor Prison 



PAUL JONE 



man in the course of about two years he was in Mill 
Prison. This was Captain Jonathan Marvatt, who, after 
the war, settled in Sumpter District, South Carolina, and 
who lived until within some fifteen or twenty years. By 
accident, I learned of this patriot, by seeing in the papers 
an account of a jollification in that State, at which he 
gave a description of the jollification the American pri- 
soners had in Mill Prison, upon hearing of the surrender 
of General Burgoyne and his army in 1777. I showed 
this statement to my irrandfuther. He said it was correct, 
and wished me to write to his old companion in suffer- 
iniZ, to know if he remembered him. I wrote and got an 
answer. Maryatt was overjoyed — said he would do any- 
thing in his power to see his old friend once more But 
both were too old to go so fur, or even h;ilf the distance. 
They died without meeting again on earth 

•' Mill Prison" was a brick building, some three hun- 
dred feet long, about forry feet wide, and two stories 
high, in a yard of s nue three acres, enclosed with a 
strong wooden picket-fence, eighteen feet high, though 
the turnkey's house made a part of the fence on one side, 
with a window in the second story, opening upon the 
prison-yard At this window would the turnkey often 
present himself and chat familiarly with the prisoners, as 
also his wife and children They appeared to be a very 
hum «ne and kind family, and very anxious to know all 
about America. There was not (^ne in the prison that did 
not highly respect the turnkey and his family. Others, 
g 'Utlemen aud la lies, would often be at the same window, 
all equally curious to know about America. 

My grandfather was capable of curious workmanship 
in wood, and having a good knife, as every sailor is quite 
apt to, he obtained a piece of wood some two feet long, 
two inches or more in thickness, and made a ladle at one 
end and a spoon at the qther, with the handles toward 
each ; and of the wood between he cut a chain of five 
links, all of the same piece of wood, with no joint, and 
that could not be severcl without breaking or splitting 
the wood It was neatly done, and deemed a great cu- 
riosity. This he gave to the turnkey's wife, in return 
for which she gave him a mammoth " plum pudding," 



SKETCHES OF 



80 large that more than seven hundred men got a per- 
ceptible taste of it, for he shared it with his comrades. 
Tliis was shown to some of the ladies of Plymouth, and 
there was a gnat rage for the works of "the prisoner 
i hase," for the balance of the time he was there confined. 
He made many more, not very unlike this first, as well as 
many other articles, until very few ladies of rank in Ply- 
mouth could not show some specioien of the ingenuity of 
" the prisoner Clia^e." 

These articles, so eagerly sought by the ladies of Ply- 
mouth, procured for the prisoners ten times their value 
in food, (and they were very scantily fed from " the pub- 
lic crib,") the ladies being very generous with their "cold 
victuals" and remnants from their plentiful tables, and 
this generosity was manifestly increatsed from their know- 
ledge that the ingenious prisoner would share with his 
fellows, thouyh often t-wuW dainties were handed him 
with the injunction to eat it himself. 

Many years after and about thirty years since, my 
grandfather was told, by a ship-master "in the Southern 
trade," that there was one of these relics in the possession 
of a gentleman at Wilmington, in the State of Delaware. 
By his request, I endeavored to find it by letter, but was 
unsuccessful. Now, if there be one of them still in exist- 
ence, and I can be apprised of its whereabouts, I will take 
great pains to obtain it. I will be glad to put it with 
" The Paul Jones' Board-rule." 

1 have already said, the fence enclosing the prison-yard 
was of wood. There was, upon the outside and about 
three feet below the top, a narrow platform or walk all 
around the yard. This was for the purpose of a guard ; 
for a strong guard was continually pacing this walk, 
night and day. One of this guard told my grandfather 
that his annual income was five thousand pounds sterling, 
and the turnkey confirmed his statement, and tliat " he 
served his country for the honor of it," and without pay. 
While we can but admire that man's love of country, we 
also regret that he could find no more honorable employ- 
ment than keeping men in a loathsome prison, for no 
other crime than struggling for their freedom. 

After these prisoners had been snugly ensconced in 



PAUL JONES. 



Mill Prison for several months, an escape was plotted. 
Tbis was done by taking up one of the large stones of 
the lower floor of the prison-house, about four feet long, 
two feet wide and less than a foot in thickness. With 
this stone up, they dug down about four or five feet, and 
tunneled horizontally under the prison-yard and fence, 
acro-ss a street and under a garden- wall, ten feet high, of 
solid masonry, with its farther terminus in a gentleman's 
warden . All this was effected with the utmost secrecy. 
"The prisoners took turns," working nights and putting 
the earth dug out into their pockets, hats and any part of 
their clothes. About daylight every morning the lirge 
stone was put in its place in the floor, and all looked as 
though no mischief was g'^ing on. After they were let 
out into the yard in the morning — for they were securely 
locked up each night — they would carefully scatter the 
earth concealed about their persons upon the ground, and 
it would readily disappear under so many feet, esp cialjy 
where they walked about more than usual, as they did 
about that'time. They were very f.rtunate in the garden 
terminus, it being in the midst of some trees and bu>hos. 
They found the garden wall of the same height all around, 
and that ooe coul I n.)t pass it alone. Therefore, they ar- 
ranged themselves in couples, not two long ones for a 
couple, nor two short ones lor a couple, but a long one 
and a short one made a couple The long one could h.-lp 
the short one on to the wall, and the short one could help 
the long one when on the wall, but not otherwise. 

All things being ready, they started in the order ar- 
ranged, in 'perfect" silence, at 11 o'clock ittt night, when 
all was still in Old Plymouth. Some eighty or ninety 
couples pas.scd into the garden, anl about seventy fiv3 
coup'es over the garden-wall, when a couple of lads came 



dl: the 



d his fel'OW on to the 



wall, but he did not stop to help the lon,if 
excitement, called loudly after him. T 
gi^anl — the plot was out. Those that 
prison put the stone b'ack into the floor 
the garden endeavored to secrete that tei 
alarm was made. Those wh ) had passi 
were hastily pursued, and most of them 



J the long one, who, in his 
him. This attracted the 
ose that had not Lft the 
( the floor, while those in 
e that terminus. A great 
had passed over the wall 
; of them soon takeo. A 



Lft 



SKETCHES OP 



multitude mounted guard, and many jruns were fired into 
the prison-jard; *' but thej were probably powder guns," 
only to intimidate. 

Those in the garden were readily taken ; but all refused 
to tell how they got out of the prison. This, however, 
was ascertained the next day, after a very close examina- 
tion. Three of those who escaped were not taken until 
six days, although pursued by two hundred British cav- 
alry. One of them, refu.sing to surrender at any rate, 
after killing two of his pursuers with a club, was shot 
dead. He was a Rhode Islander, by the name of Worm- 
sted. The dead body of Wormsted was brought back to 
the prison, a rude gallows erected, and the body " hung 
for a whole day." 

One of this Wormsted family did fearful mischief for 
the British in the war of 1812 as a privateer, and though 
twice taken and put in irons, succeeded both times in 
escaping — once by mutiny, or taking the vessel in which 
he was confined and bringing it safely home; the other, 
by breaking out of prison at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Two 
or three of these Wormsteds were not unlike Paul Jones. 

This unsucctssful attempt of the prisoners to escape 
was, for a while, a sore disadvantage to them. The guard 
was doubled around the piison-yard, and a strong outer 
guard placed. They were not as well ted. and all who got 
out were insulted and cruelly treated. Furtunattly tor 
my grandfather, his turn hud not come to enter the tun- 
nel, and he assisted to put back the stone to conceal their 
secret work. 

These prison^s were not without their sports and pas- 
times, even under such sufferings. There were several 
lads among them, from twelve to eighteen years of age. 
These and some of the men applied themselves to karn- 
ing a portion of the time, improving the best means within 
their reach. They could sometimes obtain newspapers 
slyly, for there were truant boys in Plymouth, who, for a 
copper or two, would give them papers through the alter- 
nare openings in the fence. Tiey could also obtain plenty 
of bits of slute upon which to " eyj.her " After the un- 
fortunate detec ion of their attempt to escape, whenever 
a group of gentlemen and ladies, or either, were seen 



PAUL JONES. 



about the fence, or known to be within hearing, this 
mathematical question was sure to be propos.d in i 
loud voice : " If it takes two hundred Englishmen to 
catch three of us, how many would it take to cateh t«n 
thousand uf us ?" Each one who had a piece of 8lat« 
would appear to be mighty busy in solving the question 
for a minute or two, and then answer in a loud voice. 
But the greatest sport of the whole thing was the great 
variety of answers given, no two being alike. "A hun- 
dred thousand," cries one; *' two hundred thousand," 
another; "there ain't men enough in Enjrland," "Ply- 
mouth can't begin to do it," and so on, evidently to the 
great annoyance of the outsiders, who, I reckon, must 
have considered that the Yankees were mighty dull 
scholars in arithmetic. 

Sometimes this provokins: question would be put in 
double proportion, thus: If it takes two hundred Eng- 
lishmen six days to catch three of us, how many and how 
long will it take to catch ten thousand of us? And after 
the usual "cyphering" on the slates, the same ridiculous 
variety of answers. 

When these more than seven hundred men had been 
in " Mill Prison " some a year and a-half or more, the 
turnkey one day, as he often did, opened his window look- 
ing into the prison-yud, and in a voice louder than usual, 
said, " Come here, boys, I've jzot some good news to tell 
you." A general rush was made for the turnkey. " What 
is it?" "Do tell us, sir," &c. After they had become 
still, he told them that General Washington and all his 
army were taken, aud that all of them that were not to 
be hung or shot, would soon be set at liberty. No good 
to that news, said many. On being asked for the particu- 
lars, the turnkey told them they were not yet received, 
but would be in a few days, when he would tell them all 
about it There was a deep sorrow, rather than rejoicing, 
with those suflPering prisoners. 

" A few days" passed, and even a few weeks, and not 
a word more from the turnkey J5ut the prisoners per- 
ceived they were better fed and more kindly treated than 
they had been. They overheard scraps of conversation, 
and saw some indications that those about them had im- 



I 6RETCUE6 OF 

portant knowled-e they did not wish the prisoners to get 
hnid of Thf y soon succeeded in getin.p a good tile ot 
Pilars cont ining all the news from Auieriea for sev. rul 
weeks, fn.uj which they learned that the good news the 

W'ashingtoi ^ ., - , , , 

entire army were prisoners. Their joy was unbounded; 
but they kept htill as possible, until they got a general 
jollification arranged. 

They had some three or four old fiddles, and borrowed 
as many more as they could, by the same means they ob- 
tained papers. When all was ready, the fiddlers, to the 
Dumber of some twelve or filtcen, being on the timbers 
overhead, in the second story, the floor under them being 
the dancing floor, the jollification broke out with fiddling 
and dancing, and as they grew more warm, with leaping 
and shouting, and all manner of gymnastics and every 
possible demonstration of joy in the wilde^t chaos. When 
they wanted more air, because of their severe exercise, 
they would take to the yard, and enjoy a larger liberty by 
throwing up their hats, coats and jaekets. 

Never before nor since, probably, was such a jollifica- 
tion had with a like number. Old Plymouth was tho- 
roughly alarmed — the military were called in requisition — 
all was consternation and fear without. The prisoners 
were threatened, but not with the smallest effect. They 
assured those in autborify over them that they would do 
no harm; but they had started for a "break-down" — 
there was good reason for it — and they were de'ermincd 
to have it, if it were their last hour. 

In their great glee of throwing up their hats and cloth- 
ing, some of them fell upon the outside of the high fence. 
Hats were thrown back with the crt-wns cut cut, coats 
and jackets with the arms cut off. This jollification 
closed only from sheer exhaustion. Some few accidents 
happerjed to the prisoners, as is not uncommon when 
men get wild and unmanageable. One Iri>h fiddler fell 
from I he beam up? n which he was seated, and dislocated 
his ankle All were too busy to attend to it then, but 
the next morning he was looked to. No help was called 
from without, for they did not expect sympathy, so the 



PAUL J0NE6. 



most ingenious of them in surgical matters ''set the 
ankle." They hitched a rope below the joint and several 
pulled hard upou it, whilf uihcrs piv.^sed the bones iu 
place, though with some difficulty. "And n^nv pull hard, 
my hearties, and twist a little wii'h all," said the suffering 
Irishman, and this was a "by-word" with my grandfatjer 
as lonj; as he lived. 

No harm was done theiu from without iu consequence 
of this wonderful " break-down," nor were they ever 
questioned as to the cause of it. 

After the capture of Burgoyne aud his army, these 
Colonies and the French, takeu together, had more Eng- 
lish prisoners than the Euglish had of French and Ameri- 
can prisoners ; it was, therefore, an easy matter to effect 
an exchange of prisoners, which Poctor Franklin did, 
though Lord North still declined to negotiate with us di- 
rectly; his sole conditions being, that we should lay down 
our arms, and give up a t\w of the Itading "rebels." 
Doctor Franklin was then acting for us at the French 
Court — a treaty of alliance had been perfected — and the 
exchange of prisoners that Franklin secured was between 
France and Kn^iland. This exehnngetook all those from 
Mill Prison aijd many otheis. They were released from 
prison, and taken directly to L'Orient. 

Strange as it may seem, although these prisoners had 
been ill-treated and anxiously wished to be set free every 
day of their long continemeut, when the day came, and 
the gate was thrown open, an involuntary reluctance was 
felt by most of them; the thought that they should never 
see the old prison again, where they had passed so many 
days and mouths — uever see the turnkey and his kind 
family again — and soon most of themselves would be sepa- 
rated to meet no more on earth — thtre was deep melan- 
choly even in their great joy. Some eight or ten had 
died, beside Wormsted, who was shot 

Upon their arrival at LOrient, l\iul Jones was there, 
having just obtained command of the Bon Homme Kieh- 
ard, and wishing to ship a crew. He well knew that 
most of these prisoners were anxious to return to America, 
having been from their homes from two to four years. 
He afso judged rightly that men,, who had suffered so 



SKETCHES OF 



much from British tyranny, would fight with the fury T»f 
demons, if once afloat, in case they met the English. He, 
therefore, proclaimed that he should sail for Boston as 
soon as he could get his complement There were several 
other naval vessels also shipping crews on the same condi- 
tions. Captain Jones and my grandfather met, and in- 
stantly recognized each other, not knowing what had been 
the condition of each for more than four years. Their 
former acquaintance on the Vineyard induced my ances- 
tor to ship with Captain Jones, which was in accordance 
with Jones' wishes, for he remembered that he was a good 
shot, and thought that, with a little practice, he would be 
a skillful gunner. In this he was not mistaken. 

None of the captains found any diflBculty in getting a 
full complement of men, and even something more, and 
were soon ready to sail. 

Doctor Franklin designed that Captain Jones should 
occupy the position of commodore, but the Congress would 
not give him such a commission — still he was nominally 
the commander of the whole fleet, consisting of seven or 
eight sail. The Bon Homme Richard was the largest, 
an'd was his flag-ship. The Alliance was a new thirty six, 
built very hastily by these Colonies, for the express pur- 
pose of taking our embassy to France, to eff"ect a treaty of 
alliance with that friendly power— hence her name. She 
was the fastest sailer of her time by odds, and was then 
under the command of Peter Landais (pronounced Landy). 
Jones would much have preferred the Alliance for his 
flag-ship. 

And here let me tell the end of the frigate Alliance, 
though it be out of order. She was not only hastily 
built, but of indiff"erent materials, and soon decayed. 
Not long after the close of the Revolutionary war, the 
Alliance'!^ being at Philadelphia, was found to be so rot- 
ten, that she was condemned as unseaworthy, and, after 
having been stripped of every thing worth saving, her 
hulk was sunk to make a part of a wharf in <' the City of 
Brotherly Love," where it no doubt still remains. 

This end of the Alliance is upon the testimony of La- 
throp Chase, a drummer in the Continental army, and 
Paine Chase, a fifer in the Continental army, both bro- 



PAUL JONES. 



thers of Thomas Chase, my informant. Their last reveille 
in the war was at Yorktimn, at the taking of Cornwallis. 
Thej never returned to New England except to visit their 
friends, but settled at Philadelphia, "the Northern Liber- 
ties," where they were engaged in merchandizing the bal- 
ance of their lives. Their last visit to New England was 
during the war of 1812, or a little before, which I well 
remember. Though both younger, they died many years 
before my grandfather, l?aving no children. 

Jones' command of these ships was little more than 
nominal, except the Bon Homme Richard, especially as 
to a part of them that actually proceeded directly to Bos- 
ton. Their crews were almost entirely of released pri- 
soners, as was Jones' crew, and shipped under the same 
circumstances, hence their excuse for insubordination. 
The Alliance, and one or two others, kept within safe 
distance of the Bon Homme Richard a portion of the 
time, but not near enough to act in concert with Jones, 
until his terrible encounter with the Serapis. 

Captain Jones with his fleet set sail from L'Orient, 
and ttiok a westerly course, as for Boston ; but after clear- 
ing "Land's End," he took a northerly course, up the 
waters that separate England and Ireland. Here he left 
a part of the squadron, who continued their course to 
Bu.ston. Being on the Iri.<h coast, he sent two barges or 
gun boats, with forty eighr nien, into an Irish port, for 
the purpo.se of doing mischief and getting booty. Unfor- 
tunately they were both captured, and Jones lost both 
men and boats. Ho regretted he had not gone in person 
on that expedition, insisting he could have accomplished 
his object and returned in i-afety. He did not afterward 
trust any such expedition to another. 

He continued northward, doing some mischief to the 
Biiti.sh, until he came in the vicinity of White Haven, 
on the conKnes of Scotland After vari(ms manoeuvres 
an-l .•'tratagems, he succeeded in getting clear of pr< sent 
opposition, when he brought the Bon Homme Richard to 
a position where h» r guns fully covered a .splendid m;in- 
sion or castle upon the ri.»ing shore. He then gave his 
under officers very particular orders how to proceed in 
his absence, under all the contingencies that could pro- 



SKETCHES OF 



bably happen, and taking twelve men with him, of whom 
my grandfather Thomas Chase was one, and with one of 
his boats, went ashore a short distance. They made fast 
their boat, where even muskets from the frigate could 
cover it. The twelve men with Jones were such as he 
deemed his most trusty personal friends, and were armed 
to the teeth. He then, in few words, told.his men that 
the splendid mansion before them belonged to the Earl 
of Selkirk, and that there was where he was "brought 
up." This was news to all of them. 

They went up to the house, and on inquiring for the 
earl, were told that he was not at home, but far away, 
naming the place. Tliis story Jones did not beli*^ve, and, 
knowing every nook and corner of the concern, proceeded 
to seartli, and soon found the earl, almost paralyzed with 
fear. Tliey brought him out into " the receiving-room," 
when Jone's asked him if he knew him. The eitrl an- 
swered, "No, sir,V very humbly. Captain Jones then 
ordered him undressed in part, and to bend over the knees 
of one of his men, who was seated for the purp-so, the 
earl's face being downward. Jones then, with his own 
flat hand, "spanked" the exposed portion of the earl's 
person as much as he pleise I, apparently very little to 
the comfort of the earl He did not break the skin, 
though the earl's most sensible part, at that time, "looked 
something more than a hea'.thy red." 

When Jones was done, he sail, in a severe tone, 
*' there, God damn you, this is John Paul, you used to 
whip Wlien I left you, 1 swore I would have my re- 
venjie— I've got it " The earl was then set in a chair, 
wheTe he remained motionless— apparently dreaming— 
while Jones and a part of his men proceeded to take all 
the earl's plate— a very large and valuable set — the bal- 
ance of the men taking rare of the earl and keeping 
guard They left the earl in that same condition, and 
returned to the ship with the earl's plate in safety. Paul 
Jones enjoined profound secrecy upon those twelve men 
who were with him in this singular expedition. They 
soon set sail, and my grandfather never again saw White 
Haven, nor the Earl of Selkirk. This nobleman was 
then rather old and infirm, very rich, of about middle 



PAUL JONES. OO 

stature, with light skin and blue eyes; his hair was then 
white. 

In Paul Jones' treatment to the Earl of Selkirk, I find 
)roof conclusive, that whatever the truth might have 
)een, Jones really believed the earl to be his lather. He 
might have killed him if he pleased. He might have 
taken money from him. He might have borne him off a 
prisoner, and required a large ransom for him, and pro- 
bably obtained it. He might have taken many valuables 
beside the plate. But why he dealt no more harshly wih 
hiui is quite unaccountable to me on any other ground, 
than ihat Paul Jones really felt confident it was his natu- 
ral father. 

The taking of the plate Jones afterward explained to 
my grandfather in private, "The old earl shall never 
whip another boy for not taking care of that plate; I will 
take care of it mvf^elf— it is no more than my share as a 



Daniel Webster, in one of his speeches in Congress, 
when speaking of the vast power of Great Britain, said, 
''Not a hctstile foot has ever stopped upon the Kland of 
Great Britain since William the Conqueror." I have 
shi^wn this little exception to Webster's statement as to 
strict truth. Paul Jones and twelve brave men did it; 
"but they didn't kill any b.xly." 

Continuing his course "North about," Jones had made 
six prizes, when he neared the coast of Denmark, and 
wishing to be rid of them, for they could only be a trouble 
to him in ea.^e he found nearly his match, he put into a 
port of Denmark, for the purpose of selling them. The 
l^anes did not acknowledge our flag, and, instead of buy- 
ing Jones' prizes, took them from him, and gave them 
back to the English. They endeavored to take Jones and 
the Bon Homme Richard, but Paul Jones was not to be 
taken, though his escape was a very narrow one. Here 
Jnnes lost the old earl's plate; for it was on board one of 
his prizes, as being a more safe place than on the Bon 
Homme Richard. 

After escaping from the Danes, his course was south 
westerly; and nearing the coast of England, they savr 
many vessels. They proved to be the British Baltic fleet, 



SKETCHES OF 



under convoy of the British frigate Serapis, a new forty- 
four gun frigate, commanded by Captain Pearson, a 
schoolmate with Jones, though never his friend. There 
were other smaller ships of war near by — the Countess of 
Scarborough and one other not now remembered. Near 
by was the Alliancs, under Captain Landais, that they 
had not seen for some time, and one or two other smaller 
ships that left L'Orient with them. 

The Baltic fleet made haste to secure themselves, and 
were soon out of the way " in shore." But Captain Pear- 
son, with the Serapis, was disposed to fight. He knew 
" the pirate Jones " was hovering about the coasts of 
Engknd, and wished to measure swords with his hated 
schoolmate. It was a short work for them to get near 
enough to see and recognize each other. 

In tnis encounter, Jones really had fearful odds against 
him. The Bon Homme Richard carried forty-four guns, 
as did the Serapis, but some one half of Pearson's guns 
were heavier than any of Jones'. Beside, the Serapis 
was new and strong, and built only for a forty-four, while, 
as I have before said, the Bon Homme Richard was an 
old sixty-four, with twenty of her guns taken off. She 
was, of course, very unwieldly, and not more than ab»mt 
half as effective as the Serapis. Jones would much rather 
have had the Alliance with thirty-six guns, than the Bon 
Homme Richard with her forty-four 

The fight commenced with little ceremony. Jones 
soon found that to lay off at fair gun ^hot would not do 
for him, and purposely run his frigate hard on to the 
Serapis, head to head, just glancing by; and when the 
stern of Jones' ship was nearly even with the bows of 
Pearson's and close to it, Jones ordered his men, with 
boarding-hooks, to " grapple," which they did, until with 
an anchor and strong cable they made fast at that end, 
though it was the stern of Jones' and the bow of Pear- 
son's. Captain Pearson did not like to he thus entangled, 
and lose his advantage, for he was as well aware of that 
as Jones was. He therefore tried a tack to get free, 
which brought his stern and Jones' bow close up, so that 
Jones' men, by his order, grappled with their hooks. 
This was very fortunate for Jones. Had it not been for 



PAUL JONES. 



Pearson's careless haste to get loose, Jones could not by 
any possible means have lashed them tojiether, " broadside 
to broadside," without Pearson's consent. 

Soon as Jones' men had fairly grappled with their 
boarding-hooks, Jones seized a largo cable with his left 
hand, holding his terrible sword in his right, and telling 
bis men to help him, began to lash the ships together in 
the strongest manner. Captain Pearson was determined 
to prevent this, and calling his men, dashed upon Jones 
with great fury. Jones, of course, was upon the look- 
out, and squaring off in a very formidable attitude, thun- 
dered out, "Pearson, God damn you, stand oiT, or I'll toss 
your head overboard." Pearson took himself away from 
that spot quicker than he got there. His men also kept 
themselves at a safe distance, and Paul Jones actually 
defended his men with his own sword, until they firmly 
secured the two frigates *' gunwale to gunwale " 

The reader may wonder that Pearson or some of his 
men did not shoot Jones. There were two strong rea-ons 
why it was not attempted. The first is, it is again.st the 
rules of war for centuries past. The second is, Jones 
could shoot as well as P^^arson, and was as ready to do it 
as soon, and Pearson did not feel anxious to burn powder 
with Jones personally, any better than to measure swords 
with him; and Jones' old released prisoners would have 
relished no better sport than such a hand-to-hand fight. 

The working of the big guns had been su.^pended dur- 
ing the time of lashing the ships together, but was now 
resumed. Of course neither ship could use but her guns 
on one side, and these were nearly muzzle to muzzle — so 
near that those who han:lled the ramrods sometimes hit 
each other. "Fair play," you damned Yankees!" an 
Englishman would exclaim. " 3Iind your eye, John Bull, 
or I'll," &c. 

The firing was not rapid, particularly on Jones' part, 
for it could do the ships no hurt, except to knock the 
guns about a little and knock off the gunwales, and occa- 
sionally raise a cloud of splinters from each other's decks. 
Jones and his men kept a very sharp look out, that Pear- 
son and his men did not cut the lashings and sever the 
ships. Neither of the ships were damaged ^' between 
4 



SKETCHES OF 



wind and water/' nor could they now be by any use of 

T>^1. 1-_J ^« :« tUr. r-\rrfr\ncr r\(\\nCT nil thft 



mischief they could. In this kind of play, Jones had the 
best of it: for his men were more terrible, and his spars 
and yards were longer; still Pearson would not surrender, 
insisting that Jones ought to. 

Captain Landais, with the Alliance, came up to help 
Jones, and fired a broadside; but, of necessity, it hurt 
Jones as much as it did Pearson. Jones immediately 
cried out, " Captain Landais, let us alone. I can handle 
him." Both ships were often on fire, and as often was 
the fire extinguished. Had it not been for the men m 
the ringing, this was one of the safest sea-fights, so far as 
those on deck were concerned, that almost ever hap- 
pened— I- mean after the ships were lashed together. 
The flash of the guns would go clear across each deck, 
and the men, by keeping a good look-out, could avoid 
being hurt, only by stepping a little aside. 

Had the Bon Homme Ki» hard been a new, strong ship, 
as was the Serapis, both might have lain there and burned 
powder and thrown shot until they rotted, as to sinking 
either with the guns of the other But the Bon Homme 
Richard was old and rotten, and was leaking badly before 
Jcnes made her fast to the Serapis; and thus fast, the 
strain upon her against the other ship, and from the ex- 
plosion of the guns, made her leak worse, and it was 
evident that she must ere long go down. 

Some of Jones' men and one of his officers told him 
she must soon go down, and suggested a surrender. 
"You never mind that; you i-hall have a better ship to 
go home in," said Jones, pleasantly. Jones and all his 
men, and Pearson and his crew, very well knew, that it 
the Bon Homme Richard was about to sink, she would 
capsize the Serapis, and both must go down together. It 
was, therefore, likely to be a test between Jones and 
Pearson, which, for the sake of saving himself and men 
from a watery grave, would strike first. 

But Jones had recourse to a stratagem, which was 
completely successful. He secretly sent his men below, 
one by one, with the strictest possible orders to be fully 
prepared for boarding, and at a given signal to rush on 



PAUL JONES. 



deck, and he would lead tbem on to the deck of the 
Serapis and clear it. So Jones' men seemed to diminish, 
though not very fast, until only about thirty were left on 
his deck. Pearson, supposing they were either killed or 
badly wounded, and that Jones must soon strike, was 
thrown completely off his guard. This was Jones' time. 
Giving his signal, his men were ready in an instant, and 
with Jones a-head, with his deadly sword, rushed like 
"hell hounds" upon the deck of the Serapis, killing 
every thing they could reach, and in a very short time 
would have killed every thing on board; but Captain 
Pearson, seeing his time had come, cried with a loud 
voice, '' Captain Jones, I surrender." At the same mo- 
ment taking his sword by the blade, and presenting the 
handle to Jones, and with the next breath ordered his 
colors to be taken down. 

This was in the night. The next day evening, the 
Bon Iloinme Richard went down head foremost. Tims 
terminated the strangest naval fight on record. Paul 
Jones took the Serapis, but Captain Pearson sunk the 
Bon Homme Richard. 

It was at this time my grandfather obtained "the Paul 
Jones Board-Rule," now in the Virginia State Capitol, 
at Richmond; also, several other mechanical tools, with 
which I have worked many a day ; especially an adze, 
with which I once cut my foot badly, as the scar will still 
show. 

Headly, and, T think, some others, have said that Jones 
did all he could to ^ave the old frigate, and they picture 
him like one losing an old and dear friend, as he saw the 
waters close over her. But this is all fancy. Nothing 
could be done that could save her, and Paul Jones was 
he irtily glad to see the last of her. He was great'y dis- 
satisfied that he could not have the Alliance for his flag- 
ship on leaving L'Oi ient ; and now, a^ his flag-ship was 
gone, he hid the rigiit to use the Alliance for that pur- 
pose. He was not long in availing himself of this right. 
He put Captain Landais in cr-mmand of the Serapis, his 
prize, while he took cdmman i of the Alliance in person. 
The Alliance, under Laudais, had not had a single fight 



pose. He was not long in ava 
He put Captain Landais in cr-i 
prize, while he took comman i 
The Alliance, under Landais, 



for the whole ciuise, nor had she taken any prizes 



) SKETCHES OP 

Thei» were two other British naval ships, of twenty 
guns each, still in sight, to the eastward. The Serapis 
was not in a very good condition for fighting; some ot 
her guns having been knocked about rather roughly; her 
gunwales mostly off; her decks damaged; and, upon the 
whole, she was quite out of repair in her upper works 
generally. Jones ordered Landais to move gently south- 
ward, but not to get out of his sight, lest the Serapis 
might get re-taken, while he, in the Alliance, would invite 
the two twenty-ffun ships to battle. In going on board 
the Alliance, Jones took all his own crew that wished 
to go with him, and permitted all the crew of the Alliance 
to go with Landais who pleased— thus making his crew 
on board the Alliance volunteers ; and though there was 
a very considerable change, Jones had a large comple- 

In sendin*^ Landais southward, while he moved east- 
ward, Jones had a policy. He was well aware that if he 
and Landais both moved towards those ships, they would 
be off, and that the Serapis, in her crippled ^tate, could 
not come up with them ; and though he might with the 
Alliance, it would be a long race, and he might lose the 
Serapis at last. He was right, as he usually was, in his 
fighting schemes. 

The British ships, seeing the Alliance alone moving 
towards them, and supposing her still commanded by 
Landais, prepared for' battle. Thus the ruse took. The 
British ships were placed about a cood gun shot apart, 
and ready to take every advantage that number gives 
over strength, which is sometimes very considerable in 
naval warfare. Jones rushed directly between them, and 
opened both broadsides at once; and though both the 
British ship:- did their be.'^t, one on the right and the 
other on the left, Jcnes' fire was so rapid and effective, 
that in about half an hour they both struck. 

These i=hips were very unwise to stand a fight with 
Jones, for he was fighting every week, if he could get a 
chan-je, and even oftener, and he and his crew had been 
at it for six hours less than two days before, and his gun- 
ners were a dead shot at a fair chance. There was a very 
^rcAt difference in the damage done to each party. Jones 



PAUL JONES. 



had three men killed and seventeen WoUtided, and the 
Alliance was very little damaged. The British lost some 
forty killed and more than sixty wounded The two ships 
were very badly cut to pieces ; so much so that they could 
make but poor headway, until they were repaired in their 
masts, sails and rigging, which was done while they were 
on their course southward. 

They took four more prizes — English merchantmen — 
on their way to the coast of Holland, where they came to 
anchor off the Texel. The Hollanders, unlike the Danes, 
were friendly, permitting Jones to sell his prizes, and 
purchase whatever he pleased. None of the crew re- 
ceived the portion of prize money to which they were 
entitled. 

And here I ask the reader's permission to digress : 
^ Many years after, and when my grandfather was near 
eighty years old, perhaps a little more, and had become 
an old citizen of the State of Maine, I happened to see in 
a newspaper a circular from the United States Treasury, 
informing the survivors or heirs of Paul Jones' men, who 
were with him at the taking of the Countess of Scarbo- 
rough and other prizes made on that cruise, who had not 
received their portion of the prize-money arising there- 
froui, that it was still in the treasury, and would be paid 
upon competent proof. I immediately showed this to my 
grandfather, asking him if he had ever received his. He 
said he never had, nor did he ever expect to, although he 
was surely entitled to it, if any one was. I forthwith 
wrote to the Treasury Department, asking for the neces- 
sary blanks for that purpose. I received them, enclosed 
in a letter, from an auditor in that department, whose 
name, I think, was Miller. There was no difficulty in 
establishing the claim, and he received the money, fifty- 
seven years after the prizes were sold, as above, but no 
intere!?t, though I thought he was entitled to it. This, I 
think, was under General Jackson's administration, but 



Some years after this, happening to see the agent of 
Joe Frederick, whose widow was still living, though more 
than ninety years old, I asked him (William Allen, Esq., 
of Norridgwock, Maine,) if Frederick, or his widow or 






heirs, had ever got theirs. x , , i 

he was not aware uf any claim of that kind I then told 
him the circumstances before narrated. He made the 
claim, procured the money, with interest for the whole 
time, amounting to near five hundred dollars, I think. 
This, I think, was in Mr. Fillmore's administration ; but 
it might have been earlier. I suppose these matters are 
on file at Washicgton, where the doubtful or curious can 
see tor themselves. 

After selling his prizes, Paul Jones remained some 
time in Holland, went up to Amsterdam with some of 
his crew, my grandfather with the few. He made a little 
cruise or two out into the channel to do a little mischief 
to British commerce, but was soon back to the Texel. 

And here let me raise a smile upon the countenance of 
my pleasant reader, of what— among the multitude of 
new and strange things— my grandfather saw in Holland. 
The women had fashions in those old times, as they still 
have. Even the Dutch women were not entirely free 
from this universal and, probably, never ending conta- 
gion. Just then hoops were their rage, which are not en- 
tirely unknown with us just noic. The Dutch ladies used 
very large hoops, and, in order to make an average size 
from ''top to toe," for a head-dress, they used a su^all 
red morocco cap, perfectly smooth, and without ribbon or 
other ornament, drawn closely upon the head, so that "a 
Dutch lady in full dress looked very like a cock of hay 
with a pumpkin on it." As to the fashions of the gentle- 
men in Holland in those days, the deponent saith not. 

After the lapse of a few weeks, Captain Jones set sail 
with all the little force he had, and passed down through 
the straits of Dover, in the very midst of a ho>t of British 
men-of war, and arrived safe at L'Orient. His escape 
from capture was almost a miracle. 

I am aware that the foregoing account of Paul Jones' 
famous cruise in the Bon Homme Richard differs very 
materially from any other narration of that cruise yet 
given to the world, most certainly, so far as my know- 
ledge extends. But his desperate encounter with the 
Senip's, which raised Paul Jones to the highest pinnacle 
of fame, as a man ot desperate daring and invincible bra- 



PAUL JONliS. 



very, which circumstances, it would seem, might have 
been r»^duced to fixed facts long ago, hns been given to 
the world in so many different forms, and those lorms so 
contradictory, the one to the other, that I feel as much 
reluctance in giving my grandfather's version of it, as I 
do of Jones' life and character. 

My grandfather might ea.-ily have been mistaken as to 
some exploits happening in this his first cruise with 
Jones, for he was with Jones in some four or five cruises; 
but as to the events themselves, 1 have the fullest confi- 
dence in his account of them, particularly so, as his state- 
ments, in nearly every point, were corroborated by Joe 
Frederick, Captain Thomas Field and John Terry. This 
last was the "powder-monkey" to my grandfather's gun 
during the whole time he cruised under Jonrs — was then 
a boy, born at Annapolis, in the State of Maryland. I 
saw and conversed with these three for the purpose of 
satisfying myself as to my grandfather's memory. None 
of them were certain he was right as to their order, 
neither were they certain he was wrong in any case, but 
they were fully certain he was right as to the facts and 
incidents. 

The substance of the British account of Jones' fight 
with the Serapis, which I have read, is, that Captain 
Pearson was attacked by Jones in a "sixty-four," and 
Pearson was about compelling Jones to surrender, when 
the Alliance came up, and giving Pearson a tremendous 
broadside, he struck his flag; therefore, Pearson was 
knighted. 

It was in this fight with the Serapis that my grand- 
father saw Jones use his sword in good earnest, and this 
was the only time. In their social conversation, Jones 
had related to him many thrilling adventures — spoken of 
many times when he had measured swords with champions 
and with the chivalry of Spain. In boarding the Serapis, 
Jones did not lose a man, though Pearson lost some 
twenty five in a less number of seconds. Jones a head, 
appeared to be perfectly invincible — he killed everything 
he could reach as fast as he came to it. How it is that 
some of Jones' biographers have said that he attempted 
to board the Serapis and was repulsed, and, at the same 



.«i|?Jii;ii)«fey^i«i'( 



8KETCHB8 OF 

time, tell us that Jones assisted to lash the two ships to- 
gether, contrary to Pearson's wishes, seems to me very 
inconsistent. >Jy informant had no doubt that they could 
have carried the Serapis at any moment after they could 
step upon her deck ; but Jones wished to save his men, 
and supposed Pearson would surrender without a resort 
to that deadly slaughter that boarding would occasion. 

I have also seen an account of this, Jones' most famous 
battle with the Sorapis, claiming to be from Jones' own 
pen — a true copy of his official account of it to our Gov- 
ernment, and said to be now on file at Washington. I 
also read this to my informant. He said it was very 
incorrect. That the censure up^n Landais, and the 
motives imputed to him when he came up with the Al- 
liance, were all wrong. That he was unwilling to believe 
Jones ever wrote it ; but if he did, it was to build himself 
up, and put Landais down. The substance of this last- 
named acc<mnt of that battle is copied by John Frost, 
LL. D., in his Pictorial History of the United States, and 
again copied, or Fro>t copied, by J. T. Headly, in a short 
sketch of *< Commodore l*aul Jones,'" in his "Washing- 
ton and his Generals." Headly, as usual, draws largely 
from his fruitful imagination, and gives us a most thrill- 
ing account, especially of the imminent danger of Jones 
and his crew after they made fast to the Serapi-*, when in 
fact, as the reader can but see at a glance, the greatest 
danger was passed as soon as the ships were thus made 
fast ; and so long as Jones could keep them so, he and 
his crew were in no more danger than their opponents. 
This fact was well known to all the officers and men of 
both ships. 

The truth is — as may be gathered from most accounts 
of Jones and Landais— there was so strong a spirit of 
rivalry and competition betwixt the two, that the story 
of either should be taken with many grains of allowance, 
in any matter where the other was concerned. Jones did 
all the fighting, but Landais could claim all the family 
rank and scientific qualifications. 

But I have few words to say of him whom Headly 
pleases to call '' the infamous Landais." Captain Peter 
Landais was a Frenchman, not of low origin, but of re- 



PAUL JONES. 



spectable parentage, from tbe middle class of society. He 
was regularly educated and commissioned for the French 
navy, and had done good service for his sovereign He 
was about forty years o'd when my grandfather knew him. 
He had a strong desire to get fame in the great struggle 
then going on. If the French and these Coh nies had 
had ships enough to supply every one who wanted a com- 
mand, probably no competition or rivalry would have 
come up between Peter Landais and Paul Jones. But 
they had not, and, as it happened, Jones and Landais 
stood in each other's way. Not^'ing was known of Jones' 
parentage; but his fame as "The Blac' '^ 
"Red Kover" was world-wide. He was considered, by 
the great mass interested, as a mere adventurer. Had it 
been at that time, as it has been since, that men were 
valued fur what they had done and what they could do, 
Landais would have stood not the smallest chance with 
Jones. 

But Landais claimed rank and influence and authority 
under a Bourbon, and seemed disgusted that Jones should 
a>pire to be his rival. Still Landais well knew Jones 
could be trusted in dangers that would appall any other 
man. This, instead of producing respect, seemed to fill 
him with a kind of envy — he wanted Jones out of his 
way, and that he shtiuld net have a chance to show him- 
.se f more. Jones lacked the aid of influential friends 
compared with Landais; but he made up in perseverance 
and insolent stratagem what he lacked in other respects, 
and was g' nerally successful. This Landais seemed to 
submit to with tolerable grace. He was as yet a high- 
minded, honorable man, and, as a naval officer, was an 
average of his time, with a sincere desire to serve his 
country and their young ally, the American ( olonies. 

Would that I could stop here, and say no worse of 
Peter Landais. I must say a few words more yet. As 
a n)an of genius, skill and daring, he bore no compari.son 
to Paul Jcne^, and whether he was willing'y in fault in 
the affair I wi 1 relate in its place, 1 shall have the reader 
to decide for himself. 

Upon the arrival of Paul Jones with his ships, officers 
and crews at L'Orient, there was much joy in France. 



aid of influent 



friends 



made up in perseverance 
lacked in other respects. 
This Landais seemed to 
He was as yet a high- 
5 a naval officer, was an 



n fault in 
the reader 



SKETCHES OF 



The expedition had been eminently successful upon the 
whole. The French officials and people lavished favors 
upon the officers and men. All were disposed to rest for 
a time. Soon, however, rumor said that four or five rich 
Indiamen were expected in the straits. Jones called for 
a crew to go out and take them. Landais at first objected 
to taking the Alliance, but finally consented that Jones 
might go with her a cruise of *'a few days." 

Setting sail, Jones cruised very leisurely in a south- 
westerly direction, watching closely for the Indiamen. 
They took some two or three small prizes, but nothing 
that filled their expectations. After cruising many days, 
they saw land a-head. Jones made for it, and entered a 
port. This was Corunna, the very place where Jones 
first started in the employ of the Spanish merchants, and 
who were interested in all his after exploits, up to his 
leaving for France at the beginning of the war. 

Jones sold his prizes, which were of no great value, 
but did not seem in lia.«»te to be off. He was often on 
shore— sometimes for a whole day. To his officers and 
crew there was something mysterious in his conduct. 
After stopping at Corunna for two or three weeks, he set 
sail, and taking a north-westerly course, he sailed for 
some three or four weeks; he then tacked to the east, 
and, after several weeks, arrived safe at L'Orieat. They 
had made several prizes, but not of great value, which he 
sold, and he and his men used the money for purchasing 
supplies. In this entire cruise, they did not meet with a 
single British naval vessel. They had been gone nearly 
five months without being heard from, and their friends 
in France had nearly given them up as tukeo, or lost in 
a storm on the Bay of Biscay. 

lie afterwards, in confidence, explained his conduct at 
Corunna, saying, those merchants with whom he had 
..jen interested, owed him a largo sum of money. Upon 
getting there, some of them had failed and some had 
died °The company no longer existed, and he got very 
little of the large amount due him. 

He now propo.sed to sail, in the Alliance, directly to 
Boston, but Lundais stoutly resisted him. He had again 
got the Alliance full of the old prisoners, who had not in 



PAUL JONES. 



any degree forgotten their desire to get home. He could 
not get rid of Landais by the usual means, and resorted 
to deception. He proposed to Landais to go up to Paris 
and see the French and American authorities, and if 
they would, in writing, give Landais the preference, he 
would abandon his claim. Landais accepted the proposi- 
tion, and started for Paris. Soon after he left, Jones stepped 
upon the Alliance and was oflf. There is very little doubt 
in my mind, that Jones really intended to proceed directly 
to Boston. Surely, *' the hero of the Bon Homme Rich- 
ard" ought to have as large a command as Congress could 
give him. He also hoped for another chance in the French 
fleets ; for they had two powerful fleets in the American 
wafers at that time. 

In sailing from L'Orient, he took a westerly course, as 
for Boston. When they had pursued this course for some 
two or three weeks, to the consternation of all on board, 
a plot was discovered to blow the x\lliance up, and destroy 
not only the ship, but every soul on bo;ird except two, 
who were to be ofi" in a boat. I am not aware that any 
one ha.« ever given this tragical story to the world ; if they 
have, I have not seen it; but I will give it, and the proof 
I have of it, assuring the reader I believe it myself 

In the multitude that were shipped on the Alliance at 
this time was one Englishman, in the employ of his Gov- 
ernment for this express purpose^ — for they wished to get 
rid of the Alliance, that could outsail any ship of their 
navy — and especially to rid themselves of ^' Paul Jones, 
the pirate." The plot was thus: When it came to this 
man's night watch, he was to put a slow-match to the 
uiMgazine, and taking the smallest boat, leave the ship as 
best he njight. Fortunately, this man's fellow on the 
watch was Thomas Field. The Englishman could find 
no way to carry out his plot, as he feared, without being 
suspected by Field too soon to succeed. He, therefore, 
endeavored to make an accomplice of Field, and Field, 
being naturally shrewd, mistrusted, from his agitation, 
that some mischief was on foot. 

Field heard him say, in a very low voice and with 
much agitation : " I wish I had an English friend on 
watch with me to-night." '' Ha, Fm your friend, and 



SKETCHES or 



an Englishman, too— don't you know your fne^i 
said Field. The Englishman said : '' I thought you was 
an Englishman; but I suppose you are fighting for Ame- 
rica." *' No," said Field; "all the way I could get out 
of France was to ship to Boston. I hope we fhall be 
taken, but if we are not, I can get with oar friends easier 
there than in France." After several other precautions, 
Field got his confidence and plot, also the reward he was 
to receive. This was to be one thousand pounds— to be 
paid to him, if he returned alive; and if he never re- 
turned, but had done his horrid work, it was to be paid 
to his family. , ./. i 

He was to give Field one-half of this reward if they 
lived through it. He was about to proceed to do his 
work of death at that time, but Field told him it was im- 
possible for him to leave without his chest, for all his 
money and clothing and some papers of great value were 
in it— that the chest could not then be got without giving 
suspicion— that he knew Captain Jones, and would sj 
contrive it that they would be on wa^ch again before 
they got far from the Irish coast So the execution of 
the plot was delayed. 

Next day, Field took his opportunity to inform Lap- 
tain Joni'S He could not credit the story; for, in the 
first place, he was n..t aware of having an Kuglishman on 
board— noue haviug shipped as such— and further, he 
disliked FielJ, as he did many of his crew, and never 
spoke a pleasant word to him only when in battle 13ut 
Field insisted on its truth. Jones, therefore, soon as 
would possibly seem consistent, and while they were yet 
within probable reach of Ireland with a boat, put Field 
and the Englishman on watch again. Field very slyly 
got his chest on deck, and did not seem to excite suspi- 
cion. All looked well to the Englishman. When he 
thought it the proper time, he noiselessly slipped below, 
and proceeded to his horrid work. He had fixed his 
slow-match, and was in the act of putting fire to it, when 
he was seized. Paul Jones was one of the two on euard 
at the magazine, and was the man who seized the wretch 
in the very act. He was secured for the night— not a 
word was said— no noise was made— and all but those 



i^«:L 



PAUL JONES. 



four slept undisturbed, and ignorant of their very narrow 
escape from inevitable destruction. 

As soon as they had taken their morning repast, " all 
hands were piped on deck"— the culprit was brought up, 
and Captain Jones, in few words, stated the accusation 
against him, saying he would constitute the entire ship's 
crew and oflScers a court to hear the evidence, and give 
judgment upon the prisoner. The evidence was short 
and conclusive — none but Field and Captain Jones and 
the other man at the magazine had any knowledge what- 
ever about it. After the hearing, the first lieutenant 
asked the prisoner if he denied it He gave a full ac- 
count of the plot — said he was a lieutenant in the British 
navy — that his Government, having failed in all their 
attempts to take Captain Jones for many years, had 
adopted that method of doing what they could not accom- 
plish by force of arms — adding that he would ask for 
mercy, but was aware it would be useless, and that he 
would submit to his fate '< like an Englishman." " Like 
a damned coward," said Jones. The horror and indig- 
nation of the officers and crew knew no bounds. Had 
the bottomless pit yawned to their sight, scarcely could 
there have been greater consternation. 

Captain Jones gave orders, and he swung at *' the 
yard-arm," in an hour and a-half from the time he was 
brought on deck. After hanging there fifteen minutes, 
he was cut down — leaving rope enough attached to his 
neck to make fast an iron weight, which was done, and he 
was pitched overboard, and the dark waters of the Atlantic 
closed over him. 

The proof of the truth of this tragical story was Thomas 
Chase, Thomas Field, Joe Frederick and John Terry. 
These four men were all I was ever personally acquainted 
with who cruised under Paul Jones, and, as they said, 
all happened to be with him at that time. None but 
Field could know the confidential conversation between 
himself and the Englishman; but the other three heard 
all the evidence, his full confession, and saw him hung 
and pitched overboard. Thomas Field was not under 
Captain Jones in the Bon Homme Richard, but was at 
that time with Landais in the Alliance ; neither was Field 



SKETCHES OF 



in '* Mill Prison," nor any other prison. He went to 
France in the Alliance, at the same time John Adams 
did, which, I think, was her first cruise. 

This tragical affair induced Captain Jones to put about ; 
for, he said, the nation that was capable and guilty of 
such perfidy should have one more lesson. This change, 
of course, would probably have produced mutiny in his 
crew, had they not partaken of the same spirit of revenge 
to a good degree. 

Steering, therefore, for the south-west of Ireland, they 
soon made land, and keeping the coast, they passed up 
St. George's channel into the Irish sea. In the vicinity 
of the Isle of Man, he was nearly surrounded by British 
naval ships, so that he felt compelled to abandon some 
four or five prizes he had taken, taking only the most 
valuable articles from them, with his prize crews and the 
prisoners. He left them hastily and continued his course 
to the north. But he found the British had taken great 
care to secure all their coasts against the depredations of 
the French and American cruisers, and being alone, he 
again put about, and, standing southward, he passed on 
the other side of the Isle of Man; and keeping not far 
from the west coast of England, he rounded Land's End, 
and making a few small prizes, arrived safe at L" Orient. 
It is not easy to imagine a more hazardous crui>c than 
this of the Alliance. Besides the narrow chance of being 
blown up, they were in sight of from five to ten times 
their force of British war ships most of the time, and 
nothing but the fast-sailing Alliance, skillfully worked, 
could have borne them through in safety. 

At L'Orient, Jones again found his old competitor 
Landais, more incensed than ever, and with more friends 
than formerly, because of Jones' running off with the 
Alliance, while Landais was going to Paris. 

Jones had to yield, and Landais took command of the 
Alliance, and sailed for Boston. This was late in 1780, 
or the very first of 1781. 

On sailing from L'Orient under Landais, my grand- 
father took a friendly leave of Paul Jones, and never saw 
him after. Jones' subsequent hi.story all my readers may 
have had the same chance to know that I have, with per- 



PAUL JONES. 



haps this exception : When first released from Mill Prison, 
soon after arriving at L'Orient, my grandfather was in- 
formed that there was a gentleman of his name residing 
in that vicinity, about eight miles up the river. Taking 
the first chance, he went to find him, and succeeded. He 
was about forty years of age, a second cousin, and born 
on the Eastern shore of Maryland, having been settled in 
France about fifteen years. They saw each other several 
times, and, after the war, kept up some correspondence 
for many years. 

By ray grandfather's request, the French Thomas Chase 
kept the run of Paul Jones for the balance of his life. 
There is less discrepancy in the various biographies of 
Paul Jones after i780, than prior to that time ; and, to 
save the reader the trouble to look up another author, I 
will copy the substance of his after-life, so far as consis- 
tent with the information thus derived from the Fr^'uch 
Thomas Chase, adding but a circumstance or two that I 
have not seen from any other author. J5ut I will defer 
this, while [ tell how the old prisoners got home with 
Captain Landais. 

The Alliance was crowded with men, amounting nearly 
to a double crew — though all were " hands" — none pas- 
sengers. They had a prosperous and (juick passage. On 
Bearing the American coast, they saw throe large British 
men-of-war " dead a-head." Captain Lan-lais was in- 
stantly apprised of it; but made no reply — gave no 
orders— seemed to be in a reverie or stupor — he did not 
appear to be si k — walked the deck as usual — but they 
were under full sail, and would soon be in immio- nt 
danger from the ships ahead. At this critical moment, 
his second lieutenant, quite out of patience, called out 
roughly to him: "Captain Landais, are you going to 
give us up to the British?" To this Landais made no 
reply, but looked pleasantly at the speaker, showing he 
heard him. 

This lieutenant had been such under Jones, in two or 
three of his cruises, and had seen much service. He im- 
me.liately assumed the command, " and gave orders Jones' 
fa>hion." Their course was changed to the right, more 
in the wind — for the wind was from the north — and, by 



SKETCHES OF 



tacking once or twice more, they fully succeeded in get- 
ting "the weather guage"of the Bnti>hj and though 
they made the attempt to give chase, the Alliance left 
them with ease, and soon resumed her former course. 
They soon saw the land, and made the entrance of Boston 
harbor. Soon as they were safe, the daring lieutenant 
stood before Landais, and said, ** Captain Landais, I give 
you up the command of this ship — there is Boston har- 
bor, pointing a-head. To this J^andais made no reply, 
but soon gave the necessary orders for getting into port. 

Captain Landais made no complaint against the lieu- 
tenant, though a multitude made complaint to the autho- 
rities against Landais. His command was soon taken 
from him ; nor did he complain of this, but soon after 
returned to France, where he sunk in disgrace. 

Whether there vas evil intention with Landais in this 
affair was never known. His enemies accused him of it ; 
his friends could no longer recommend him as worthy of 
a command, and the reader can excuse or condemn him 
for himself, having, at this late day, the same means of 
knowing he would have had had he been a cotemporary 
with Landais. 

After Paul Jones was ousted from the Alliance, he 
tried to get a command in France, but failed. He came 
to this country, but we had nothing for him then. He 
made some large plans for a navy for us, and made many 
valuable suggestions, which have proved of great use to 
us in getting up our navy. He soon returned to France. 

Cornwallis surrendered — the war was over — America 
was free. Paul Jones was in France, but his head was 
full of great schemes. He planned an expediion — to be 
joint between France and this country — to the North-west 
coast. This occupied him for two or three years, and he 
was here once or twice in that time; but the French 
Revolution was urging on — times were squally in France, 
and we were very poor, and the project fell through. But 
France was the place of Jones' choice — his home. 

Whether Paul Jones was in France at the breaking 
out of the French Revolution, I am not able to say ; I 
apprehend he was not. None of his biographers say a 
word of him in connection with that bloody struggle, and 



PAUL JONES. 



it seems improbable that one of his teraperament and 
powers could have been an idle spectator. I have not 
the dates, but conclude he was in the service of Russia 
at that time, as follows: 

Russia, under the Empress Catharine, was at war with 
the Turks. Catharine heard the fame of Paul Jones, and, 
through her minister at Paris, offered to gi' 

n — nut naming any particular amount— if he would 
)t the command of rear admiral in the Russian navy 
1 Black Sea. 

Being out of busines^^, he readily accepted ; for he had 
always been in active life, and did not like to be idle. 
He made all haste to get to Russia, and as soon as the 
affairs were arranged, and he in possession of his commis- 
sion, he repaired to his command on the Black Sea. 

Had it not been for this instance of good fortune for 
Paul Jones, he would hardly have been remembered up 
to this time. As rear admiral, he commanded twenty 
ships — the whole fleet was forty-five — but he was subject 
"1 the general control of the vice admiral. 

On assuming his command, he set about putting things 
in order — for the Russian navy at that time was rather 
primitive and capable of much improvement. Admiral 
Jones changed things very much fur the better in a short 
time; but the vice admiral, a Russian nobleman, was not 
well pleased with the new notions of Admiral Jones, and 
there probably would have been an open rupture, if the 
Turks had let them alone a little loni^jer. But they soon 



met the Turks, and -Jones pitched into them in his own 
way with the ships under his command, and carried all 



way with the ships under his command, and carried all 
before him, while the Turks used the Russian admiral as 
ighly as Jones did tiieir brethren. The Russian ad- 
miral was killed, and Paul Jones was but just in time to 
save the larger portion of the fleet from entire destruction. 
This fixed his fame in Russia and in all the world, and 
for all time. He might have continued in the Russian 
service the balance of his days, but he would not in a sub- 
ordinate command, and the Russian nobility would not 
consent that he should have the entire command of their 
fleet. He, therefore, threw up his command, and went to 
5t. Petersburg. Here he found enemies, but Catharine 



SKETCHES OF 



g?^l^^^Jf^!'^^sf&: 



could not. nor did she, overlook nor underrate his vast 
services in his canipai*rn on the Bl:itk ^ea. 

After some delay, Catharine gave hiiu a sum of money, 
amounting, in our currency, to about one hundred thou- 
sand dollars, and he returned to France. 

He was now rich. This was ruinous for such a man 
as Jones. He al>o had a world-wide fame, and was highly 
honored by tlie French Government and people. He took 
a splendid residence just out of Paris, where he was sur- 
rounded wiih the mo.st honorable company, and where he 
lived in the most extravag:)nt style. Luxury and dissipa- 
tion soon did for Admiral Jones what deadly weapons had 
failed to do. His race in this career was short. He died 
in 1792, aged about forty-seven years, and was buried 
with princely pomp at Paris. Paul Jones was never 
married. 

Having taken the reader from the cradle to the grave 
of this il'ustrious man, it may be wise in me to leave him 
to draw his own conclusions as to the truth or falsity of 
the foregoing sketches ; also to form his own estiu)ate of 
Joues' character, and to decide for himself whether good 
or evil predominated in him, and whether, upon the whole, 
he was a blessing or a scourge to his race. 

Having had a good opportunity to converse with four 
of Jones' men, who bad a much better chance to know 
him as he really was, than any of his biographers even 
claim to have, never having known him, and having en- 
joyed this advantage until I was about forty years old, I 
will ask the permission of the reader to take a short re- 
trospect, and show my own opinion. 

As to the probable truth of the foregoing Sketches, so 
far as they relate to Jones only, I frankly say, I have 
never been able to get hold of anything that appears to 
me so consistent and reasonable in all its parts as this. 
This account of his early life appears consistent with such 
parts of his after-life as are well known. The particular 
business he was in prior to our *' old war," shows the 
ground upon which the English recused him of being <'a 
pirate." 

As to whether Paul Jones was ever a pirate, I do not 
flatly deny it, and leave it at that. English history and 



PAUL JONES. 



literature condemned him as such. Many of bis own 
times, both in France and in this country, had given 
credit to Hriti.sh accounts of him, and even in Kussia 
there were those who were'" envious of his wonderful 
powers and achievements, and endeavored to use this 
against hiu) with the Eniprct^s Catiiarine. This impp 
sion, so fixed in the minds of many, was one of the pri 
cipal reasons why lie was always denit'd a large command. 

hut does this make it that he was a pirate ? With just 
as much propriety as British slanders uf the great Napo- 
leon prove that he was a despot — "a liar" — and the 
thousand-and-one hard names the British have called that 
wonderful man. Very many important places in the 
Spanish colonies were sacked by British adventurers in 
the same way Paul Jones annoyed Briiish commerce. 
Sir Walter lialeigh did this same thing; so did Sir 
Francis Drake ; and our own bay of San Francisco takes 
its name from the circumstance that he sacked an early 
Spanish colony located there. There were a multitude 
of these British adventurers of lesser note, who were en- 
gaged in this same business; and other nations partici- 
pated in the same business; and though it is less popular 
now than in J'aul Jones' time, and was less popular then 
than it had previously been, I insist that it was but an 
informal system of privateering. If Paul Jones was a 
pirate, so was Sir Walter lialeigh and Sir Francis Drake, 
and a long catalogue of others of those days, who have 
never been called pirates. 

As to whether good or evil predominated with Paul 
Jones, his early life and business must be considered, in 
order to judge rightly. If he had been favored with a 
kind father and mother, loving brothers and sii^ters, and 
a happy home, until he arrived at majority, his case would 
have been the very reverse of what it was, and his stern 
character undoubtedly much softened. As it was, he was 
unsocial ; he hardly spoke a pleasant word to any under 
his command, except when in battle or preparing for it. 
Then was he in good humor; and the more terrible was the 
fight, the more pleasantly would he encourage his men; so 
much so, that it was a common remark in his crews, after 
passing a few days without meeting an enemy, and Jones 



SKETCHES OF 



would become more and more austere: "I do hope we 
shall have a tight soon, or Captain Jones will kill us all." 
Accustomed to a maritime command from his youth, 
which is well known to be absolute in the extreme, no 
wonder that his ste»n nature should assume somewhat the 
character of a despot; still Paul Jones was capable of 
warm personal friendship, though, from his loneliness and 
lack of early friendly sympathy, he sought few intimates 
in after-life. The intimates he sought were not the great 
nor rich— neither were they the chivalrous, nor yet the 
bully— but he wanted a confidant; his naturally friendly 
soul sought a companion with whom to converse and think 
aloud. 1 conclude, therefore, that few men of strong 
native intellect, under the same circumstances that sur- 
rounded Paul Jones through life, would have been better 
than he was. 

But there is another light in which to view the charac- 
ter and achievements of this remarkable man. Upon 
leaving his earlv business, he applied to France for a 
naval command, and faikd. He then applied to our Con- 
tinental Congress, and though opposed, after some delay, 
received the command of one smalt shijj. Wherever he 
was, he distinguished himself greatly. Still, his requests 
for a large command were constantly negatived, whether 
made to France or to these Colonies. The largest com- 
mand he ever had during the war was the Bon Homme 
Richard for a flag-ship, the Alliance and a few smaller 
ships as associates. But his command was merely nomi- 
nal as to all but the Bon Homme Richard. After his 
wonderful capture of the Serapis, he never received any 
command to the close of the war, although he made two 
or three cruises in the Alliance, taking her more by force 
than consent. 

Paul Jones lived in an evil time for such a genius as 
he was. Could he have been a few years la^er on earth— 
a cotemporary with the great Napoleon, who never failed 
to see and appreciate such wonderful powers, and to use 
them in carrying forward his giant schemes— the achieve- 
ments of Paut Jones might, and probably wouM, have 
been as wonderful on the ocean, as those of Napoleon 
were upon the land. With such an admiral as Paul 



PAUL JONES. 



Jones, Napoleon would have crushed England, and over- 
run the British isles in three years. 

But as Jones was situated, with a Bourbon on the 
throne of France and a Continental Congress here, a ma- 
jority of which favored family and rank, rather than 
genuine merit, Jones could do but little comparatively. 
And the greatest wonder in my mind is, how, under all 
the unfavorable circumstances that kept him down, his 
name should be known for one short year, to those who 
survived him. 

An orphan, and probably "a bastard," continually 
crushed to the earth until he was fourteen, and then cast 
upon an unfriendly world to care for him.self— -and never 
afterward encouraged as even ordinary men usually are, 
until called to the Black Sea— it is very ma: 
one that his powers must have been of the very highest 
order, and that his fame, great as it is, is nothing l.ke as 
great as it sh ,uld be. 

Are we not astonished to look back on these circum- 
stances and facts? Who doubts that, if Paul Jones could 
have stepped into the command of Count D'Estaing or 
Count DeGrasse, he would have annihilated the British 
navy, and laid all her coasts under contribution? 

But we must feel still more astonished, that a man so 
continually and effectually erippied in all his efforts to 
show himself, should have acquired fame — fame far be- 
yond Count D'Estaing or Count DiGra.sse, or any other 
naval commander of his time. C<itharine of Russia did 
not apply to tmy English or French admiial to help her 
on the Black Sea, but to Paul Jones, the illustrious com- 
mander of the old rotten Bon Homme Richard, with forty- 



How was it, that he who was next to nobody, judging 
from the treatment he re<eived from Fninceand our Con- 
tinental Congress, should ever have been heard of away 
back in Russia, by the Czarina of the "NortJiern Bear?" 
Here is the cause : The very little Paul Jones was per- 
mitted to do, shows what he was, and what he could do, 
and in spite of all the diflBculties under which he labored, 
the truth was miyhtt/ ami did prevail 

Leaving to my readers the same right to judge that I 



SKETCHES OP PAUL JONES. 

reserve for myself, I conclude that Paul Jones was natu- 
rally a high-minded, honorable man, of invincible courage 
and daring He could comraanl one ship with the most 
consummate skill, or could, with equal ability and success, 
command the largest fleets, as was clearly proved on the 
Black Sea. 

Paul Jones had many defects of character, arising prin- 
cipally from the circumstances that surrounded him in 
early life, and which, from the constant whirl of excite- 
ment and anxiety in which he moved, and the opposition 
and disappo'ntuient continually upon him, he never fully 
corrected. But he had more good properties than bad, 
and could those unfavorable circumstances have been re- 
versed, he would have shone con.spicuous as a great and 
good man — a benefactor of his race. 

As he was, with all his faults, he did much more good 
than evil. Whatever he proposed to do, that depended 
on his own exertions of prowess, he never failed to do in 
a single instance. 

Our country learned too late his great value; for at the 
time of his death, he was about to be taken permanently 
into our service. 

As a brave, daring, impetuous and invincible nival 
commander, he has never beeu surpassed, and it will pro- 
bably be very long before the world will again see his 
equal. 

Peace to his ashes— undying fame to his memory— and 
rest to his stern soul. 

Sleep sweetly, brave warrior, motlier enrth lias cncloiecl thee — 
Sleep where Freedom's friends will not dim thy true glory; 

Uncouquered in life, though the Briton oppoi^ed thee, 
The chief of the wave and the hero of story. 

Though thy youth was beclouded, nor hope was before thee, 
Nor parents, nor brother, nor sister, to cheer. 

Thou art gone ! yet in memory we will not deplor** thee. 
For thy fa:iie is extended with each rolling year. 

Thou hast fought thy last fight, nor the surging of ocean, 
Nor the booming of cannon, can wake thee aj;ain — 

Sleep, sweetly, while freemen keep earth in commotion, 
Thou foe to the tviaut — thou king of the main. 



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